Love Immortal
by LadyRacheloftheWest
Summary: Kagome discovers that when you time travel, things can get pretty messed up. A story about twisting time lines and family Kagome never knew she had in the modern era. How can she have a half demon for a niece? Set in all times and eras and back again.
1. The Curse of Immortality

This is a sequel to _Forever with Lord Sesshomaru._ I suggest you read that story first to get caught up, but this one can be a stand alone...

Summary: Kagome discovers that when you time travel things can get pretty messed up. A story about twisting time lines and family Kagome never knew she had in the modern era. How can she have a half demon for a niece? Set in all times and eras and back again. SxR mostly.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any characters from Inuyasha. Any original characters, please don't reuse.

**Chapter 1**

**The Curse of Immortality**

**Feudal Era – 1574**

_Where is he?_ Rin sat on the stone pathway in her garden. She took a deep breath and looked at the flowers around her. It wasn't helping to calm her nerves. _Everything around me is falling apart. _She put her hand on her forehead attempting to massage out her frustration. _I now understand why demons don't like dealing with humans. _After spending over half a century uniting the humans and demons in her lands, the peace was beginning to fall apart. The human powers changed too often. New rulers rose and old friends passed away. Every time the leadership changed, so did relationships between the humans and demons and their allegiances with Lord Sesshomaru.

"Mother?" a sing-song voice came from her left.

She turned to the voice's owner, a half-demon girl. "What is it Shiori?" Her third oldest child sat there among the flowers. She held a daisy in her hand and spun it around between her fingers. The girl was eighteen, but because she was half-demon she aged slowly. She looked to be the same age as six-year old human girl. Her silver hair reflected the colors of the flowers around her.

Shiori looked up and smiled. Her dog-like ears twitched with the motion. "This flower is called a daisy. It matches your necklace!" She pushed herself up and came to sit beside Rin. "I picked it for you."

The Lady of the Western Lands took the flower. "Thanks sweetheart." The girl smiled and handed Rin the flower. The woman took a deep breath of the daisy's scent. They always reminded her of her mate.

"Look! Here comes Father!" Shiori pointed up towards the sky. Rin looked up but didn't see anything. She inwardly smiled. She had gotten used to the fact a long time ago that everyone in her family had better senses than she did.

The woman stood up and watched. After a few moments, the shapes of AhUn and two dog demons came closer. Sesshomaru had gone to visit with Karasaya, the leader of the dog demons. He wanted to be sure that the dog demons would help him if a war broke out. _This is how Kagome said it would be...one day all the demons would be gone. _She wasn't going to go down without a fight though. AhUn landed in the garden with Sesshomaru and Ryomi, their oldest daughter, on its back. Yemon and Isas landed beside the dragon demon. "Sesshomaru!" Rin walked to her mate as he dismounted. He reached out and placed his hands near her elbows and held her before him. His face was blank, but she could see the emotion in his eyes. She saw frustration there and...she couldn't place it.

"Karasaya is with us, but only for protection. He won't go on the offensive," the demon lord said in his usual emotionless tone.

"I'm not surprised," she answered. "We may need him sooner than we thought. Word has come from Shinakio that diplomats from Edo arrived to negotiate a deal with them."

A look of surprise flashed across Sesshomaru's face but quickly disappeared. "A bold move. This is the furthest they've moved into our lands."

Rin nodded. "I have no doubts that Shinakio will remain loyal to us, but it could mean a-"

"They'll be attacked," Sesshomaru finished for her in a soft tone. He let out a growl. "I will teach these fools to stay out of my lands!"

"My Lady?" Isas said from beside her. He was Sesshomaru's adviser and had been a long-time, loyal friend of the Lord and Lady. He also was a dog demon, a wise strategist, and a fierce warrior. "I'll organize a reconnaissance team to watch for any incoming threat to the village."

"Thank you Isas," she answered with a nod. She looked back at her mate to see him watching her daughter, Ryomi, entering the castle. The teenage girl looked upset. _Not teenager...she's sixty-two._ Rin sometimes forgot that her children were much older than they looked. _She definitely acts like a seventeen year-old._ "Is something wrong?"

"She's acting oddly."

"I'm surprised she didn't stay to discuss Shinakio with us." Rin frowned. Ryomi was always interested in what was going on in their lands. The young half-demon worshiped Sesshomaru and followed him anywhere he went. The couple had yet to formally announce an heir; most figured it would be Kenchiro, the second oldest, since he was the eldest male. Sesshomaru and Rin on the other hand favored their first born, Ryomi, over Kenchiro though. Ryomi would make a fantastic leader.

"She'll talk to us if she wishes. Shinakio needs to be addressed first," Sesshomaru said. Rin nodded and began to walk away, but Sesshomaru held onto her. She looked back up at him and raised her eyebrows. The demon lord moved his hands to her back and pulled her closer. He leaned down and gave her a deep kiss.

She smiled up at him as he let her go. "Shinakio could wait..."

He narrowed his eyes, but a small smile pulled at the corner of his lip. "We'll wait for the scouts to return."

Kenchiro found his older sister in the great hall. She was practicing her fighting moves. _I bet I could beat her. _He frowned. _If I could get her sword away from her... _She was easily a head taller than him, but Ken was sure that he was stronger. He had turned forty last year and had been practicing his sword technique as long as he could remember. The boy only looked to be about ten, but he was much smarter and stronger than any human ten-year old.

"What do you want?" Ryomi asked without stopping her routine.

"Wanna duel?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Why do you say that?"

She paused and looked at him. "Mother would get mad at me if I beat the crap out of you again. She and Father are too busy to scrape you off of the floor right now."

Ken made a face. "You're such a loser Ry. You just don't want to fight because I would beat you!"

His sister let out a sigh. "Go away creep. I've had enough of pushy men for one day."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means go away."

The boy rolled his eyes. "Fine. You're boring anyways."

Sesshomaru watched his mate pace back and forth before him. She walked with her left hand resting on her swords and her right swinging angrily at her side. Every time she reached one end of his study, she spun around and quickly paced to the other side causing her hair to flow behind her in flurry. Her face was set in a scowl, and while the demon lord preferred when she smiled, she still looked beautiful. As usual, she wore her armor, today over a deep blue kimono. She was the Lady of the Western Lands, and what perhaps attracted Sesshomaru to her the most was that she had established herself in that position. Most subjects not only respected but also feared the human woman nearly as much as they did her demon mate. Many still gawked at the fact that she was nearly a century old, had delivered four half-demon children to date, and still had the body of an attractive, twenty-year old human. The demon smiled to himself. Her appearance may not have changed over time, but her ferocity had. Perhaps it was because she had spent so much time with him; the woman was fiercely loyal to her people, and even more, she fiercely loved him. "Rin," Sesshomaru closed his eyes. He didn't want to see her reaction to his words. "Pacing will not bring back the scouts any sooner." He feared nothing, but still knew better than to invoke his mate's wrath.

He opened his eyes as he heard Rin pound her fists on his desk. She stood before him. "And what am I supposed to do? Just sit around and wait for our lands to be torn apart?" The look in her dark eyes showed not only determination, but also desperation. "I've worked too hard over the last sixty some years to have some upstart from Edo tear our lands apart!" The woman sighed and moved backwards to sit down on one of the short stools in front of his desk. Sesshomaru understood her frustration. They could only hope that Shinakio had turned away the dignitaries they had met with. _If Shinakio turns against us, a war will begin in my empire._

"Human minds are easily swayed when they hear that they'll be protected from demons. If I remember correctly, that's how we originally made so many allies among the humans. Now they are simply choosing the better deal," Isas said from where he was leaning near the door.

Rin nodded from her seat. "I know. It's easy to keep allies among the demons because the clan rulers have not changed. The humans villages have gone through at least two generations of leaders since we've started. It takes constant negotiation to keep them loyal." She looked up and caught Sesshomaru's gaze. "Most don't even remember what it was like when the demons did whatever they liked in the Western Lands."

"_I_ will continue to do whatever I like," Sesshomaru stated. "Nothing has changed. We will defend those who remain loyal to us and show no mercy to those who aren't. It is the same rule we've always followed."

"I know." Rin looked down at the floor. "It just feels like I'm always losing my friends." The pain from decades of memories was apparent on her face. The demon lord sometimes wondered if immortality was too much on his mate. She had a soft heart, and she had lost many people over the years.

A knock came at the door, and Sesshomaru granted permission to the visitor. One of the scouts, Hiraku, entered the room. "Shinakio is under attack!"

Rin jumped up from her seat. "What?"

"Word has it that the leaders from Shinakio turned away the diplomats from Edo. When asked to join them, the Shinakio leaders refused to assist in the attack on Shouhei. The army from Edo is now moving against Shinakio," the scout said.

The human woman spun towards Sesshomaru. "We have to help them!"

He nodded and stood. "Let's go." As he moved around the desk to follow his mate, he wondered how many other villages would be attacked because they remained loyal to him.

Ryomi looked across the trees of the forest. _All I can see is smoke. Is it coming from Shinakio?_ She had left the castle shortly after her parents had and went to a high spot in the front yard. She climbed one of the larger trees there to try to see what was happening at the villages to the north. Yemon of course had followed her. _He's annoyingly predictable._ A few years ago, her parents had decided that the politics in the Western Lands was making it unstable. As a result, each of the children had been assigned a guard to watch over them at all times. For some unknown reason, they had selected Yemon as her protector. While she did consider him as a friend, he usually annoyed the living daylights out of her. She sighed. "They should have let me go with them. I'm more than capable of fighting," said the half-demon. "They could of used you too Yemon." She carefully sat down on one of the higher branches.

Yemon perched on a branch on the other side of the tree. "Experience and knowledge are two different things." She rolled her eyes. "Besides, you still can't beat your mother in a duel."

"Shut-up guard!" she growled. She had to admit her mother was a strong fighter and even though she was human, she was still stronger than most smaller demons. _Father, on the other hand, is a different story..._ Ryomi was Sesshomaru's and Rin's oldest child. Ever since she had realized that she wasn't like the rest of the demons, she had despised the fact that she was a half-demon. She adored her father and wanted to be just like him. She had his same long white hair and his golden eyes, but the white ears on top of her head gave it away that she was different...that she was only half demon. The young woman inwardly sighed. Her mother was strong, the strongest human she had ever met, but the fact that human blood flowed in Ryomi's veins meant that she was weaker, easier to kill, and not immortal. She thought she could overcome the weakness; her uncle Inuyahsa was a half-demon and very strong. That was proof that she could do it. Her father never gave her the chance though. He never let her show him how strong she could be. He always demanded that she stayed somewhere safe and stay out of trouble. _I could never be as strong as father..._

"They'll be fine," Yemon said interrupting her thoughts. "Your parents are very powerful." Ryomi pushed her hair back off of her shoulders annoyed at him. _No duh guard!_

"Didn't I tell you to shut-up?" The dog demon sighed but didn't reply. She frowned at her friend. She wasn't sure why he was getting on her nerves so badly today – worse than usual. _Maybe it's because I don't want to be around __**any**__ demons today... _She knew her father was just being overprotective, and didn't necessarily doubt her abilities. He took Uncle Inuyasha with him into battle all the time. _So it's Daitaro that's bothering me... _The girl scooted closer to the tree and pulled her knees closer. She wrapped her hands around her legs and rested her forehead on her knees. _That jerk._

"Ry?"

"What Yemon?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you Princess."

She smiled. "You're just saying that so I won't have you reassigned."

"Maybe. Would _you_ want to have to guard your brother?"

"Definitely not!" Ryomi laughed. "I couldn't handle being guarded by Katsutoshi anyways. He's such a downer."

She heard Yemon chuckle. "So are we good?"

"For now. Next time, I'll be sure to have Master Jaken issue you some kind of punishment for insulting me."

"No thanks." They both laughed. "What I meant to say was...it's because...it's not because you're a half-demon that your mom can beat you. I mean...that doesn't make sense. Let me start over." Ryomi smiled from behind the tree. She knew Yemon was trying to be nice. He just wasn't very good at it. "You're strong, and it doesn't matter if you're a half-demon. Your parents are powerful, and it takes someone really powerful to beat them."

"I know. Besides, _you_ can't beat Mother in a duel either," she taunted him with a smile.

"What?" She felt the tree shake as he moved on his branch. "Who told you that?" The dog demon's head poked out from around the tree's trunk above her.

Ryomi laughed and tilted her head back to look up at the demon. "Mom did."

He frowned. "Go figure." With the grace that only a demon had, Yemon jumped up on the branch above her. He lightly landed and then laid out across the branch so his head was right above her. "I just wanted you to know that I don't think you're weak because you're a half-demon."

She frowned and narrowed her eyes at him. "And why are you suddenly being so nice?"

He shrugged. Ryomi didn't let up her glare, and he finally sighed. "Daitaro told me what he said."

"Oh." She suddenly felt sick to her stomach and looked down at her feet. This was something personal that she didn't really want to talk about with him. Ryomi had been friends, _good friends_, with Daitaro, Lord Karasaya's son, for a long time. She went with her father to visit the dog demons' mountain sanctuary a few times a year, and Daitaro and his little sister, Emiko, were always there to entertain her. After decades of visits with Daitaro, they had become close friends, at least until their last visit. _That bastard._ He had flat out said to her _"You know Ry, I love when you come visit. I wish you could stay here all the time...If you weren't a half-demon, I'd even think about taking you as my mate someday."_

"He only told me because I asked him why you were mad," Yemon said. "I called him an idiot."

She half smiled. "Thanks."

"I consider him as a common enemy. Next time we see him, I'll hold him, and you can punch him. We can claim he was trying to come onto you."

Ryomi couldn't help but to giggle. "Alright." She frowned and looked up at her friend. "This doesn't get repeated you know!" He nodded. "And you don't have to be nice to me! He's an ass, and I'm not upset about it."

The dog demon raised an eyebrow. "Strong words Princess." He smiled. "That's good. I hate when women harbor some belief that their asshole boyfriend can change with time. If he really cared about you, he wouldn't care that you're a half-demon. It's not like he's the only heir to the dog demon clan."

She nodded. _So why am I still upset about it..._ "Yeah. It's funny how you think you know someone, and then it turns out that they aren't what you thought they were."

"Yeah," Yemon said. "Don't worry. I'll always be here – same old Yemon." He gave her a smile.

She returned the smile to her guard. _No way would I trade him for Katsutoshi._ She looked over his face for a moment. He didn't smile too often, and he looked nice when he did. His dark eyes and hair were a sharp contrast to most dog demons who had light eyes and hair. She liked that he was different. "Are you growing your hair out?" She reached up and grabbed at the end of his ponytail that was hanging down. It wasn't very long, but it reached down to his shoulders.

He shrugged. "I thought about it. My hair is so dark though, that I'll probably look like one of those human samurai if I grow it out and wear it high."

"I like it long."

He smiled. "Well, if it pleases _you_ Princess. If you'd like, I can cut off my left leg if that will please you too," he said sarcastically.

She gave him a mock-scowl. "I didn't mean that you _had_ to grow it out! But now that I think about it, you would probably fight better without your left leg! You wouldn't stumble over your own feet!" The pair laughed and Yemon hopped up on the branch. He began to hop on one foot and pretend to fight. He about fell when he hit his head on the branch above him. Ryomi was laughing so hard, she wiped tears from her eyes.

She stopped as the dog demon paused. "Do you smell that?"

The half-demon sniffed at the air. Nothing seemed out of place. "What is it?"

"Humans."

She frowned and raised her eyebrows at the comment. "There are humans living at the castle..." _Duh Yemon!_

"No, Ry, _lots _of humans." He held out his hand, and she took it. With one swift movement, he pulled her up, wrapped his arm around her waist, and then begin climbing higher in the tree. Ryomi grabbed onto his armor afraid she would slip from his grasp. He stopped and pulled her up beside him on a high branch. They were high enough to see over the branches and leaves of the tree. "There." She followed his finger as he pointed and then gasped. From the south, a whole army was marching towards them. She twisted her head to look in the opposite direction to see smoke still rising from Shinakio and Shouhei. "This was a set-up," Yemon said in a low tone beside her.

"We have to warn the castle."

"Hold on." Yemon crouched and then jumped high. Ryomi felt her heart skip a beat as they flew through the air. They touched ground a few moments later, and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. The dog demon let go of her waist and grabbed her hand. "Come on Ry!"

She glanced behind her. "Yemon!" Arrows began to hit the ground behind them. Her guard paused for a split-second to scoop her up into her arms and then took off at phenomenal speed towards the castle.

They reached the front gate, and Yemon let her down. Ryomi ran further into the castle. "We're under attack! Kenchiro!" She saw some of the servants in the dining room. "We're under attack! Make a run for it!"

"Head east," Yemon said from behind her to the servants.

The young woman ran further into the castle. "Kenchiro!" she screamed. "Where are you?"

"What is going on?" She spun to her left to see her brother coming down the stairs. "We're under attack. We have to make a run for it."

"Why don't we fight them?" She frowned at the boy. He was a few decades younger than her, but he was still old enough to know not to question her.

"You can stay and fight if you want, but those of us who aren't complete idiots are making a run for it!"

"I have to leave my stuff?"

"No time Ken! Let's go!" Yemon said as he came up beside her. "Where's your guard?"

"I'm here Yemon," Katsutoshi said from behind him.

"Go get AhUn and meet me on Mom and Dad's balcony," Ryomi ordered.

"Princess, your mother took AhUn with her," Yemon said.

"Damn it!"

"I'm telling Mother you said a bad word," Kenchiro said.

"Shut it!" Ryomi snapped. "We'll have to run for it." She began to run upstairs. "Shio!" She ran to her little sister's room. Shiori wasn't there. She frowned and then headed to the next room. Haya, the pig demon servant, was in there with her baby brother, Genkei. "Haya, we have to go! The castle is under attack." She helped the pig demon get the baby around. "Have you seen Shiori?," Ry asked as she draped a blanket over the boy in Haya's arms. Yemon entered the room at that moment.

Haya shook her head. "I'm sorry I haven't seen her."

"I'll look in the south wing," Yemon said and rushed off.

Ryomi rushed back downstairs to find Kenchiro and Katsutoshi still standing there. "What are you waiting for? Run!"

"Did you find Shio?" Ken asked.

"No. Run! Go!" She yelled and pointed at the front door. She turned around and headed towards the back door. With any luck, Shiori would be playing in the garden.

"Ry!" She spun around at her brother's voice. Humans in full suits of armor burst through the front door. Katsutoshi immediately began to fight them off.

"Run Mater Kenchiro!" Katsutoshi called over his shoulder.

Ryomi grabbed the boy's hand and ran out of the back door into the garden. She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the armored men were also coming around the back of the castle. In between the men and her sat her little sister among the flowers. "SHIORI!" The small half-demon girl looked up as one of humans approached her. Ryomi felt like she was running in slow motion as she approached her sister. She was too late. She reached her little sister as her small body collapsed lifeless on the ground.

_NO!_ Rage overtook her. Ryomi launched herself at Shiori's murderer as he pulled his sword out of the girl's flesh. Like her father, her claws were full of poison, and she knew how to use them.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Yemon flew through the southern corridor. "Ori! Have you seen Shiori?" Sometimes the young girl would play dress-up with the seamstress.

"No Yemon. What's wrong?"

"The castle is under attack. Get out." He ran back towards the main section of the Western Castle. _I hope Ry has found her._ He reached the main hallway to find Katsutoshi fighting off men coming through the front gate. "Where's the kids?" He didn't wait for a reply and rushed through the open back door.

_RYOMI! _The woman was fighting off the attackers. He saw Shiori's and Kenchiro's bodies laying on the ground a few feet away from her. _No...no no no no_. He rushed to help her. She was surrounded, but between her sword and her claws, she was fending the men off. Yemon jumped at the men standing behind her. Using his sword, he cut two of them down and then spun to his right. With super strength, he pulled off the man's mask and slashed his claws across his face. The cut was deep enough that, Yemon was sure he wouldn't be getting back up. He turned back towards Ryomi and cut down the man on her right. He spun to his left and froze. The man in front of the half-demon impaled her right through the stomach.

The world seemed to freeze for a split second as the princess' blood ran down her kimono. _NO!_ Yemon swung his sword as hard as he could downward onto the man's helmet. The force was enough to cut through the human regardless of the armor. Yemon let go of his sword, grabbed Ry's body, and pulled her back. He jumped backwards away from the army and crouched down. "Ry!" He looked down at the woman to see she was looking up at him.

"Run!" she whispered faintly.

"I won't leave you. Lord Sesshomaru can revive you with the Tensaiga. I'll get you to him Ry. I promise." He felt tears in his eyes. _I can't lose her. _"I promise!"

"Then don't die," she said as she closed her eyes. "Run." Yemon looked up to see the attackers were almost on him again. He sat the woman down. He knew she was already gone. He felt his demon blood taking over. _They will pay. I won't let her down._ He transformed into his larger dog demon form and began to slaughter every human around him.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

_One thing they don't tell you about being immortal is that memories fade, but you never forget pain. You can accept that your friends will age and die, but when it's your fault that they died young, the guilt never leaves you... _Rin wiped the tears falling down her cheeks. She frowned down at her hand to find it was covered in black soot. The ash continued to fall to the ground around Shinakio Village. It would probably fall for days.

"Is anyone else missing?" she heard Isas ask one of the humans behind her.

"I believe everyone has been accounted for...bodies too."

Rin looked down at the family beside her. They had lost their youngest son in the fire. When she and Sesshomaru had gotten to Shinakio, the village was already ablaze. She was told that the village had been attacked from a distance; archers shot at the village using flaming arrows. No one had marched into the village; no one even pursued the villagers who were running away. _And it's all my fault. I allied this village with Sesshomaru and the demons... _The woman closed her eyes as she felt them begin to water again. "Lady Rin?" She reopened her eyes and turned to the man beside her. Zoki had become a good friend of hers. She felt guilty over his son's death. "Where do we go now?" He pushed a hand through his hair causing ash to fall down onto his shoulders. "What would my grandmother have done? How can I – I wasn't even able to save my son...how can I help my people?"

She swallowed and shook her head. She had been good friends with Zoki's grandmother, Hisako. Hisako had brought the people of Kuwa to live at Shinakio after their village had been attacked. Even though the Kuwa villagers had become a part of Shinakio, many still had looked up to Hisako's family for guidance. She had been a great leader at a very young age. "You're not responsible for these people, Zoki," Rin answered. "But it is your choice whether or not you lead them. Even your grandmother had moments where she was weak, but she never let it show. If you can't do that, allow someone else to lead. Even leaders need help sometimes." Zoki nodded. "I believe Lord Jien is leading the survivors to the southeast. He can lead Zoki, just be there to help him when he needs it."

The man nodded. He seemed to be relieved that he didn't have to take on any responsibility. "Thank you My Lady."

"And Zoki...I'm so sorry about your son." The woman swallowed to clear her throat. "I'm so sorry." The tears began to stream down her cheeks again. Zoki nodded at turned back to his family, leaving Rin alone.

She watched them for a moment and then felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to her left and looked up to see her mate there. "Rin, come with me." She nodded and followed Sesshomaru to where Isas stood with Masajun and his guards.

Sympathy crossed over Isas' face when they neared him. He frowned. "My Lady, I think we need to move onto Shouhei."

Rin once again wiped at her face. "You think the army is heading there next?"

"I fear they may already be there."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Sesshomaru put his hand on her shoulder, holding her in place. "Shouhei is close enough that we'd smell the demon blood if they were attacked. The tragedy here at Shinakio is a distraction. They should have moved in on Shouhei while we were occupied here. They haven't, so they must be planning something else."

The human woman shook her head. "You call this a _distraction?_ They destroyed a whole village that refused their offer to join them. Plain and simple! Why is it always that you think the humans are out to destroy all the demons?" She took a deep breath and continued to yell, "If you wanted to choose the easiest and the least expensive way to destroy a village while running a campaign, this would be it!" Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at her. At that point she didn't even care.

"Perhaps both of you are correct," Isas interjected. "We do know they planned on attacking Shouhei, we just don't know when. Perhaps we should go check it out."

"Then go," Rin replied. "I'm gonna make sure everyone gets out of here safely." She turned to walk away.

"Rin," Sesshomaru called after her. The demon lord began to follow her, so she turned around to face him. She was angry and tired. If he wanted to fight about it, she'd take him on. "What do you wish to do?"

The woman paused completely dumbfounded. "I..." She felt tears accumulating in her eyes once again. "Can we just make sure they get somewhere safe?" she asked weakly. Suddenly, she no longer felt like fighting.

Her mate nodded. "We'll provide an escort. I'll have Isas scout out the location of the Edo army."

"Thank you." Sesshomaru helped her onto AhUn and took his reins. He suddenly paused and turned his head. She looked over to Isas to see he was looking in the same direction. _Shouhei is that way..._

"Hnn, we no longer have a choice," Sesshomaru said.

"It's Shouhei!" Isas yelled over to them.

Sesshomaru gave AhUn's reins once last tug and then took off on foot. AhUn began to follow him, and the rest of the dog demons joined them. The trip to Shouhei was short. Rin frowned as they neared the village. It was silent. Sesshomaru stopped short before a few yards away from the edge of the village. She looked at him to see his eyes wildly looking around. "What is it?" she asked. It was dark and a fog sat low in the air. It was very, very quiet.

"There's a...funny scent here," Masajun said from beside her. He was the head of the guards, and Rin knew to he was always serious when he spoke. _He doesn't recognize the scent? Is it blood?_

"Stay back," Sesshomaru ordered. "No one goes into the village, not even AhUn."

Rin frowned and dismounted the dragon demon. "What about you?"

Her mate looked over to her and drew his sword, Raisaiga. "You can follow me if you choose, but no one else."

The woman drew Bakusaiga from her sash and followed after Sesshomaru. They slowly moved forward between the buildings. "What is it?" Something odd was happening if he was allowing her to fight with him but not the rest of the dog demons.

"This mist is dulling my senses. Does it affect you?"

"No."

"Be my eyes and ears. This must be some trick of the spiritual arts."

Rin frowned. She had been wrong. "If they are traveling with priests or monks, Isas was right. They _are_ targeting the demons."

"Do not fear Rin. It will take a lot more than tricks to silence me."

The woman smiled, but it quickly faded. _How long until the future Kagome predicted comes true?_ Not only did she worry for Sesshomaru, but she was terrified for her children. _A future with no demons..._ The woman pushed open the door as they passed by the entrance to one of the huts. She looked around inside, but didn't see anyone. "It's empty."

"It's not." Sesshomaru pushed passed her and went further into the hut. He pushed open a curtain revealing a pair of demons. They looked to be raccoon-dogs. She turned away. Both were clearly dead; victims of stabbing wounds. "This mist must dull the senses of demons and put them to sleep. They are killing the villagers as they sleep."

"We have to warn them."

"No Rin," his voice came back weakly.

"Sesshomaru?" She felt her eyes widen as she looked over her mate. "Are you alright?" She put Bakusaiga back at her waist and place her hands on Sesshomaru's chest.

"If there is a priest close by, he will sense my presence. I...hnn." The dog demon let out a soft growl. "Let's go." He took her hand in his left and led her back outside. Rin understood. _He won't admit he's too weak to fight off an army._ The pair returned to the others. "We're leaving," he announced. Rin hopped up onto AhUn and Sesshomaru sat up behind her.

"What about the villagers?" Isas asked. Sesshomaru didn't respond.

"We can't help them," Rin replied softly. "Not now." For what felt like the hundredth time that night, she felt the tears began to fall down her cheaks once again. She felt Sesshomaru tug on AhUn's reins, and they rose up into the air. _We'll have to come back tomorrow and see if there are any survivors. I wonder if Samuru..._ She bit down on her lip.

She suddenly felt Sesshomaru tense up behind her as they flew towards their home. "Faster AhUn," he ordered. Rin grabbed at the dragon demon's saddle as he took off faster. "No matter wheat happens, stay on AhUn Rin," Sesshomaru said into her ear. "The castle is under attack."

"What?" she shrieked.

"Do as I say. Stay on AhUn!" Sesshomaru let go of her and jumped off of the dragon demon. He flew past them at a phenomenal speed. Rin could make out smoke in the distance. Her heart froze in her chest. Her home was on fire. She pushed AhUn to go faster. She had to get to her children.

Sesshomaru went straight for Yemon. The guard was the only one he saw fighting. The great dog demon transformed midair and hit the ground close to Yemon. The force of his landing sent the human men falling around him. He let out a large growl and spit acid onto the ground. He glanced over at the other dog demon. His dark brown hair was matted with blood. "Where is Ryomi?" Yemon growled but didn't respond. Angered, Sesshomaru transformed into his smaller form and drew Raisaiga. He swung the sword and lightening struck the ground around him. "Dragon Strike." The human attackers fell under the lightening attack for yards around him. He didn't know which was worse: the screams from the human men or the scent of their blood. "Where is Ryomi?" he yelled up to Yemon.

Yemon transformed down and sunk to his knees. In this form, his wounds were easy to see. If he hadn't been a demon, he would surely have already been dead. "I lost her," he finally choked out.

Sesshomaru growled. "Lost her?"

"I'm the only one left!" He slowly got up. "The rest are dead. I – I kept her body. I knew you could revive her, but- but she was what they wanted. I held onto her as long as I could...they took her." Yemon sank back to his knees and buried his hands into his face.

Thoughts of killing the failure of a guard crossed Sesshomaru's mind. He decided instead to kick him. The demon lord sunk his foot in Yemon's back causing the guard to fall face first onto the ground. "I'll need your help. That's the only reason I'm allowing you to live!" He glanced around to see they were almost surrounded once again. "Let's find her body."

Yemon pushed himself up from the ground. "They killed all of them. They took them and...and they-" He took a deep breath. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes.

"Out with it fool."

"They burnt their corpses with the castle."

Sesshomaru froze. _They're gone?_ A fear gripped his heart that he hadn't felt since he lost Rin in the underworld all those years ago. _They can't be saved? _

"My Lord?" he heard Isas' voice from behind him.

The demon lord tilted his head down and closed his eyes. He had seen the size of the army on the way in. He and a half dozen dog demons alone weren't enough to defeat them. He knew his own limits. "Go to the mountains. Take Yemon."

"Uh, yes My Lord," Isas replied.

"Sesshomaru?" Rin yelled. He looked up to see his mate still in the air above him. He had to get her away before she was struck by an arrow.

He glanced around to see the human men holding off. They weren't foolish enough to rush into battle against him after seeing his lightening attack. "Go!" he yelled once more to his dog demons. He took off into the air and in a smooth motion, he mounted AhUn behind Rin. He avoided her gaze and wrapped his arms around her midsection. He didn't want her to turn around and see his face. He didn't want her to know yet.

"Sesshomaru, our home is on fire! Where are the children?" He stayed long enough to make sure his men were headed towards the mountains and then directed AhUn to the west. "Sesshomaru? Where are we going? Where are my children? Sesshomaru!" Once they reached the coast, he landed the dragon demon. He slid off pulling Rin down onto the sand with him. "Where are my kids?" she shrieked.

Sesshomaru pulled her into his arms and buried his head into her hair. _I failed to protect them..._ The demon lord had not allowed himself to cry in a long time, but with Rin sobbing in his arms, he was unable to hold back his own emotion. The thought of his children caused his breath to catch in his throat. His precious Ryomi was gone. The child who had adored him, wanted to be like him, his pride and joy...she was gone. He clutched his mate closer. She would never forgive him. He would never forgive himself.

**Modern Era - June 23rd, 2000**

"Are you staying for a few days Kagome?"

Kagome put down the book she was studying and looked over her shoulder at her mom. "Just until after my exam. You know how Inuyasha gets."

Her mom smiled. "I know, but I'll try to keep you as long as I can. I'll just have to bribe him with some more food."

Kagome chuckled. "In that case, we may never leave." _No, Inuyasha would destroy my neighborhood if we stayed here for too long._ She and Inuyasha had been married for a little over a year. They lived in the feudal era, but came back every once in a while to visit with Kagome's family. She had decided a few months ago to attend a some medical classes at the local community college. Talented doctors were in short supply in the feudal era, and she enjoyed helping people. Kaede had taught her everything she knew, but her techniques sometimes were nothing more than superstition. Kagome paused as Kaede crossed her mind. She hopped she was doing okay alone. The old woman moved much more slowly than she used to which was probably Rin's fault. The girl had brought a spark to Kaede's life, but Sesshomaru had taken Rin back with him early that year. Now Kaede just seemed to be bored with everyday life. Kagome had decided she wasn't ready for children quite yet, but she almost wished she had a baby to help keep the old woman busy.

"If you're staying overnight, can you do me a favor?" Her mom looked out the window and up to the sky. "The news is saying that a large storm is going to hit us tomorrow. If you and Inuyasha could make sure everything in the shrine is secured down, I'd appreciate it. It's just too much work for your grandfather."

"No problem Mom. We can do it."

"I'll have Souta help you."

"What is all of this junk?"

"It's not junk Inuyasha," Souta replied. "They're family treasures."

"Yeah, sure," the half-demon said sarcastically.

Kagome shook her head. "If you two would stop opening every box, this would go faster. We're just supposed to make sure nothing is going to fall off of the shelves if a storm hits."

"Where's the fun in that?" Souta said. She rolled her eyes. Her sweet little brother had become a teenager, and now there was nothing sweet about him. She pushed a few boxes in front of a set of glass jars on one of the shelves. Hopefully the boxes would keep the jars from falling.

"Look Inuyasha!" Souta said as he opened a box.

"What's that?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome smiled. At least Inuyasha wasn't too bored when they came to visit. He and Souta and become friends, and the boy was good at entertaining the half-demon. Inuyasha had recently discovered video games, and he had become hooked.

"They say this trinket will make a man invincible if he wears it in battle." Souta held up a rusted piece of metal.

"Looks like junk to me," Inuyasha said.

Kagome left the pair to argue about it and went outside to get some more boxes that were stacked there. She paused as she noticed a couple standing over by the Bone Eater's well. _They must have come to visit the shrine._ "Can I help you?" She looked the pair over. The woman stood closest and looked to be in her early thirties. She wore a stylish, yellow sundress that went down to her ankles. She had dark hair and was wearing a large black sunhat. She couldn't see the man very well because he was standing behind the woman, but Kagome could see that he had white hair that was cut long for a man. It flowed around his head and stuck up in places like it had a mind of it's own. She noticed that he wore a black hat also. The woman looked her way and gave her a large smile. Kagome almost frowned, but caught herself. _She looks familiar._

"What the hell?" she heard Inuyasha yell from inside the shrine. The half-demon stormed out.

Kagome froze. "Your hat!" she snapped at him._ These people are going to see his ears!_

Inuyasha didn't seem to hear her. "Why the hell do I smell Sesshomaru?"

"What?" _Sesshomaru came through the well? Go figure something like this happens when we finally get some visitors!_

Kagome heard a laugh and turned back to the couple standing there. The woman had her hand on her mouth and was giggling. "I'd definitely say we've found them."

"Indeed. There's no mistaking _that_ scent," the man said. Kagome's jaw dropped open. She knew she recognized that voice. _Sesshomaru? He cut his hair?_

"What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha yelled. "And who's she? How'd you get through the well?"

"Kagome," the woman said before the brothers could begin to argue, "I can't believe it's you!" The woman came at her and wrapped her in a hug. "I-I've missed you so much!" Kagome took a good look at the woman's face when she finally released her from the hug.

She almost told the woman she had no idea who she was, and then it suddenly hit her. She realized who it was. The smile was unmistakable. "Rin?"

"Yup! It's me!"

**A sequel! Yay!**

**Just like with _Forever with Lord Sesshomaru_, it may take me some time in between updates, but I'll try to keep posting chapters as soon as I can!**

**You'll see over the next few chapters where I'm going with this, until then you'll just have to wait in suspense! To give you a little preview – after Sesshomaru and Rin find Kagome and Inuyasha in the modern era, it will cause the timeline to change, not only for them, but for the children Sesshomaru and Rin lost too...**

**Hope you'll keep reading! Look for the next chapter soon!**

**-Rachel**

**FYI – If you're trying to figure out my dates, I'm going with Kagome's 15th birthday was in 1996 – the year the manga first was published. If you don't like it, too bad. :) **

**Also, I don't know if there's an exact science to how quick a half-demon is supposed to age...just run with what I'm going with here. Sorry if you don't agree with me.**


	2. A Storm of Evil

This is a sequel to "Forever with Lord Sesshomaru." I suggest you read that story first to get caught up, but this one can be a stand alone...

Summary: Kagome discovers that when you time travel things can get pretty messed up. A story about twisting time lines and family Kagome never knew she had in the modern era. How can she have a half demon for a niece? Set in all times and eras and back again. SxR mostly.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any characters from Inuyasha. Any original characters, please don't reuse.

**Chapter 2**

**A Storm of Evil**

**Modern Era – June 23rd, 2000**

Rin carefully walked up the endless stairs. High-heals were impractical and she still didn't understand why women of this age favored them. She held onto Sesshomaru's arm as they reached the top. "Do you think this is it?"

"Hnn." Sesshomaru looked around. "It must be," he said as they walked around to the back of the house at the top of the stairs. "That is the tree Inuyasha was pinned to, besides his scent is strong here."

"Then where's the Bone Eater's well? It would be near the tree." They walked closer to the tree and a small shelter beside it.

"Perhaps it is the structure there. Inuyasha's scent is strongest here."

"Can I help you?" Rin turned towards the voice and smiled. There stood her sister-in-law. _We've found them._ Memories of Kagome came to mind. _She looks so young..._

"What the hell?" a muffled voice came from inside the shrine behind Kagome. _Inuyasha!_ The half-demon came storming out, and Kagome snapped something at him. "Why the hell do I smell Sesshomaru?" he yelled.

Rin couldn't help but laugh. It was so good to see them. "I'd definitely say we've found them."

"Indeed," Sesshomaru said from beside her. "There's no mistaking _that_ scent."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha yelled. "And who's she?" He pointed at Rin. "How'd you get through the well?"

Rin knew that the brothers would begin to argue if she didn't step in. "Kagome, I can't believe it's you!" She approached the woman and gave her a hug. "I-I've missed you so much!" Rin felt tears begin to accumulate in the corners of her eyes and she released her sister-in-law from the hug. The surprise was evident on Kagome's face. Rin smiled. _She doesn't recognize me... _

Kagome looked her over for a minute and then surprise crossed her face. "Rin?"

"Yup! It's me!"

"How? What happened to you? Did you age as you came through the well? Why did Sesshomaru cut his hair?" Kagome began to ramble.

"Rin?" Inuyasha finally said. She looked over to the half-demon to see him checking her out. "There's no way."

Rin felt Sesshomaru come up beside her. "It is, and we didn't come through the well. If you'd open your eyes that would be apparent," the dog demon said sharply. Inuyasha and Kagome stood there silent with surprise on their faces. "It...it is good to see both of you," Sesshomaru said after a moment.

"I'm really confused," Kagome said.

Rin smiled. "Is there somewhere we can talk?" she asked. Kagome directed them towards the house.

"There's something wrong with Sesshomaru," Rin heard Inuyasha say quietly as she walked past him.

The group sat in Kagome's living room and, to no surprise to Kagome, her mother and Souta stood on the other side of the door to eavesdrop. Inuyasha sat there glaring at Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru glanced around the room, and Rin sat beside Kagome with a large smile on her face. "I've always wanted to see your home across the well Kagome," Rin said. "It's wonderful. Truthfully, I can't imagine why you stayed with us in the castle for all those years instead of coming home more often. I remember the day _we_ finally had indoor plumbing. It was fantastic! My daughter, Daimi, couldn't get over it. She kept turning all the faucets on and-"

"Rin?" Kagome finally managed to get in. "How is it you?"

The woman paused and then laughed. "Okay. Let's start from the beginning." Kagome nodded.

"First tell us why you're here," Inuyasha said glaring at Sesshomaru. The dog demon didn't show any response. Kagome frowned. _That's so unlike Sesshomaru...normally he would snap some rude comment back at Inuyasha. _She was beginning to wonder if the couple sitting there were actually really, really, good imposters. _No Inuyasha would be able to tell if it's not them._

Rin took a deep breath. "Where to start? Um, we didn't come from the well, and we're not from the Feudal Era. I'm over five hundred years old, and I haven't seen you Kagome since you died at a very old age." She smiled. "We're the Sesshomaru and Rin from your future, and you're the Inuyasha and Kagome from my past."

Kagome felt her eyes widen. _From my future?_ It took her a moment to fully comprehend what the woman in front of her was saying. "You are from the present time?" she finally choked out.

"I'm missing something here. What are you talking about?" Inuyasha blurted out. "You can't be five hundred Rin. You're just human."

"There are times that the impossible is possible," Sesshomaru replied in a soft tone. "Kagome can travel through time. Even you should be able to understand how easily the impossible can happen."

Kagome looked from Sesshomaru back to Rin. "How? And you've been with Sesshomaru all this time?" Another thought suddenly struck her. "Are you two_ married_?" _Sesshomaru marry a human? Now __**that's **__impossible!_

Rin laughed. "Like I said, we're your future...and anything I tell you could change _my_ past." She looked over at Sesshomaru and smiled. She turned back to Kagome a much more serious look crossed her face. "If you tell the younger versions of ourselves _anything_, and I mean_**anything**_, it could change everything."

"What do you mean?"

"Yes, Sesshomaru and I are mates." Rin spun around and held up a hand towards Inuyasha before he could say anything. The half-demon remained silent but a smug smile played across his lips. Rin turned back to Kagome. "If the great, powerful," she smiled, "and very stubborn Lord Sesshomaru knew that he would one day take a human as his mate, he would have sent me away as a child so there was no chance of it happening." She placed her hands on Kagome's arms. "I don't want that Kagome."

"Heh." Sesshomaru snorted. "You're probably right. I _would_ have sent you away."

Rin flashed him a smile. "You know I'm right. I know you better than you know yourself, remember?"

The dog demon narrowed his eyes. "Don't push it." A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Kagome looked back and forth between the pair. The sight of Sesshomaru flirting with Rin was somewhat of a shock. "You guys fell in love?" The couple turned their attention to her. "I always imagined but never, _never_, did I ever actually think! I can't believe it!" Kagome put her hands to her mouth. "Are you serious?"

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes as Inuyasha began to laugh. "A human Sesshomaru! After all the crap you gave me!"

"Enough," Rin said sternly but with a smile. "This isn't the point of our discussion. Accept it and get over with it." She pointed at Kagome. "And like I said, no word of this to our younger selves." Kagome nodded. "Now, we wouldn't have even risked coming to see you two if it wasn't important. There's a -"

"Do you guys have kids?" Kagome asked.

"This is a waste of time," Sesshomaru sighed.

Rin gave her a patient smile. "Focus Kagome."

"Sorry. This is just so exciting!"

"There's a storm approaching," Sesshomaru said raising the volume of his voice. He sent a warning glare at Kagome and then continued. "If you've been paying attention to reports, the meteorologists can't explain the weather patterns. They've never seen a storm like this."

"I saw that on the news," a new voice broke into the conversation. Kagome looked up as her mom stuck her head into the door. "They say that anyone who's sailed into the storm hasn't survived."

"And neither has any of the wildlife in the water below the storm," Sesshomaru continued.

Rin smiled and looked at Kagome. "Is that your mother...and your brother, Souta?" Kagome nodded. "I've heard so many stories! I've always wanted to meet you," Rin said to her mother.

"Rin," Sesshomaru said in an agitated tone.

"Sorry."

"Women," Inuyasha muttered.

"Heh, you haven't been with the same one for five centuries."

"Hey!" Kagome and Rin yelled in unison.

"Back to the storm," Sesshomaru said with a glare. The room quieted. "It's a demonic presence in the form of a cloud. Attempts to stop it before it got this close to shore have failed. We'll be making a final attempt tomorrow."

"We've come to ask for your help," Rin added. "We can't let it reach the shore."

"What happens if it does?" Inuyasha asked.

"Everything dies," Sesshomaru said coldly.

Kagome felt a panic take over her. "We have to warn everyone. What if we can't stop it?"

"We have no choice," Rin replied. "And no one would believe us if we warned them. No one believes in demons any more." Kagome frowned. _She's right._ She looked over at her mom. _This kind of stuff shouldn't happen in this time. _The thought of losing her family here was frightening.

"We'll help," Kagome said.

"Figures you can't do it alone Sesshomaru," Inuyasha teased. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes.

"There's more at stake here than my pride Inuyasha. Sadly, you never grow up. It's something you'll never understand."

"You bastard!"

"Knock it off Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled.

Rin laughed. "Some things never change." She wiped at her eyes. "I missed this..."

The room fell silent. "Well," Kagome spoke up after a moment, "you have us for tonight. Let's enjoy the time you're here."

"Who's hungry?" Kagome's mother asked.

Sesshomaru stood outside gazing up at the sacred tree. A million memories played across his mind. He looked over at the shelter where the Bone Eater's well was hidden. _This is where we defeated Naraku. This is where Kagome had disappeared for three years. _He looked across the city. He remembered when there was a forest there. _Inuyasha's Forest._ He remembered when he had left Rin in the small village there. According to Kagome at dinner, in her current timeline in the past, he had just taken Rin back to the castle with him. _That Rin is probably trying to teach Ine how to cook for a human right now..._

"My Lord?" He turned at the sound of Rin's sweet voice. She smiled and came up on his right side. "The wind is beginning to pick up." He nodded. He felt her take his hand into her own and squeeze it. "It's so weird seeing them. I've missed them so much." He caught the scent of Rin's tears.

"They are in our past Rin. We can't visit them again after tomorrow."

"I know," she said softly. He glanced down at the woman from the corner of his eye. She had her eyes closed.

"So make the most of tonight." Rin looked up at him and frowned. "You were best friends, have one more night of your..._girl talks._"

Rin laughed. "And what about you and Inuyasha? You're not going to spend the night beating the snot out of each other?"

Sesshomaru looked down at his mate and gave her a small smile. "This isn't the Inuyasha I befriended. It'll be a few more decades for that."

She laughed. "You were right earlier. He doesn't ever grow up." She leaned into him. "Not until Kagome dies," she added softly.

Emotions and memories that he'd rather forget crossed Sesshomaru's mind. "Go and spend the evening with Kagome."

"You know Inuyasha has been watching you for the last hour?"

"Yes, and I'm positive he'll continue to watch me for the rest of the night." Rin laughed. He looked over his mate. _Five centuries together, and she still is gorgeous._ "Watch what you tell Kagome."

"Don't worry." The woman flashed him a smile that caused his heart beat to quicken."I'd never risk losing you." She pulled down on his arm so she could kiss his cheek.

"Hmm. What would I be without you, Companion?"

She smiled. He knew she loved that nickname."Lonely and bored." The woman laughed and let go of his arm. She waved and headed back into the house.

"Indeed."

Kagome shooed her mom and Souta out of the kitchen and began to wash the dishes. She needed some time alone to think. Dinner had been...interesting. _Sesshomaru and Rin fell in love, Rin is somehow immortal, and they live up in some mountains somewhere with other demons..._ That was pretty much all the couple was willing to tell them. She understood Rin's concerns about changing the past, but there so much Kagome wanted to know. She inwardly sighed. Perhaps the most surprising part was how _different_ Sesshomaru was. He had learned how to show emotion somewhere over the last five centuries, and seeing him crack a smile a few times at dinner had almost caused Kagome to die from shock.

"Kagome, can I help?"

She turned to find Rin at the doorway to the kitchen. "Uh, sure" _Wasn't it just last year that I was telling Rin she had to help Kaede more? _The woman came over to Kagome and picked up a towel. _She's beautiful as an adult._

Rin began to dry the dishes that Kagome washed and stacked them up. Kagome tried to think of something to talk about. She had a million questions, but she wasn't sure what Rin would actually answer. Luckily, Rin spoke first. "There must be something we can talk about. We may have a few hundred years between us, but we're still the same Rin and Kagome. We never used to run out of things to chat about."

Kagome nodded. "I have a hundred questions, but what-"

"Try me." Rin gave her a large smile. "If it's something that I think I shouldn't answer, I'll tell you."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Sesshomaru won't object?"

"He's not here, is he?" A sly smile crossed her face.

"Okay." Kagome sat down her washcloth and wiped her hands on her apron. "You said I died of old age?"

Rin raised an eyebrow. "No reservations huh?" She laughed. "Yes, old age and probably being married to Inuyasha, but you were very old."

"That's a relief."

"But, don't think you're invincible. You do something foolish because you think you're supposed to live until you're old, and you'll probably die. Who knows how the timeline could change. Every question you ask me could change your future."

Kagome nodded. "That takes the fun out of it," she said sourly.

Rin smiled. "Well, what else do you want to know?"

Kagome leaned on the countertop. _Now I'm not so sure..._ "Is Inuyasha still alive somewhere?"

"I'm not sure. I don't think so." Rin looked out the kitchen window. "After you passed away, Inuyasha and your children moved closer to the well. He said he wanted to protect it to make sure it was still there in the future. Powers changed over the years, and Japan became a dangerous place for demons. We lost contact with him. He either went into hiding or..." She turned back to Kagome and shrugged.

Kagome nodded. "You're right. There's some things I don't really want to know." _Like if my husband and children were killed because they were part demon..._ "I'm sure you won't tell me how many children I have, but will you tell me how many children _you _have?"

Rin smiled bashfully and looked away as her cheeks turned red. "A few."

"Come on. Tell me."

"Twenty-seven."

"What?" Kagome felt her eyes widen. "You've been busy. How do still have that body?"

Rin put her hands on her hips. "Hey. I've only had twenty-seven in five centuries. That's not that many!"

Kagome did the math in her head. "I guess..."

"There was plenty of time for me to lose the weight between each child. Thank you very much," Rin replied sarcastically.

"Truthfully, I'm surprised you didn't have more. Five hundred years is a long time to be married to one person."

"Not really." Rin smiled. "I don't know. I just didn't get pregnant very often. It was a few years before I was pregnant with my first. I was so relieved; for a while I thought I couldn't have children." She paused. "She was beautiful," she added quietly.

Kagome frowned. "Are all of them still...around?"

"Most are in hiding with the rest of the demons, and a few have made homes among the humans. They've figured out ways to blend in. My oldest four..." She took a deep breath. "I lost them a long time ago."

"What happened?"

Rin gave her a sad look. "I really shouldn't tell you that Kagome. I shouldn't have even told you that they died."

Kagome took Rin's hands. "I promise you that I will never speak a word of it to you or your children."

Rin paused and then slowly nodded. Kagome could tell she was trying to decide what to tell her. "Just remind me in the past from time to time of how much I loved Ryomi, my oldest daughter. We often didn't see eye to eye."

"I'm the same way with my mom sometimes."

Rin smiled and then turned to sit down in one of the kitchen chairs. She looked down at the towel in her hands. "There was a push into our lands and two nearby villages were attacked. The attacks were a distraction." She paused. "While Sesshomaru and I were fighting at Shouhei and Shinakio, an army from Edo attacked the Western Castle. They burnt it down, and my children were killed. We...we couldn't even find their bodies...Sesshomaru couldn't even use Tensaiga to revive them." She wiped at her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Kagome couldn't imagine losing a child like that. _Poor Rin..._

"It was rough moving on. It changed Sesshomaru. I think he still feels guilty. We haven't talked about it in years."

Kagome nodded. "I'm sorry that I brought it up."

"You didn't know." Rin took a deep breath. "Well, let's talk about something else. How is Kaede? I never did get to say goodbye to her before she died."

Kagome smiled. "She's doing fine. She misses you like crazy." Rin continued to ask Kagome questions about the village and her friends there. Kagome on the other hand didn't ask Rin any more questions about the future ahead.

Rin tossed her sun hat onto the table in the hotel suite. "What time is Isas meeting us?"

"Six a.m."

The woman glanced at the clock and then dropped onto the bed. "We should have left Kagome's earlier." It was almost midnight.

Sesshomaru walked next to the table and placed his hat next to hers. Rin knew he hated wearing it, but it was necessary to cover his pointed ears. She herself wore a hat so Sesshomaru wouldn't stand out. She actually loved wearing it. The woman smiled as her mate ran a hand through his hair. It was cut long enough to hide the moon on his forehead, but still short enough that it stuck up in places. He looked like a character from one of the Anime shows her children watched. She thought he looked cute. The dog demon took off his jacket and began to unbutton his shirt. "I was hoping I could coax you to stay up for a while longer," he said in a monotone voice.

Rin gave him a sly smile. "So coax me."

Her mate raised an eyebrow. "I had hoped for more resistance."

"Well," she sat up. "This _could_ be our last night together," the woman said somberly.

"Unlikely," Sesshomaru replied. He came and sat beside her on the bed. "Tonight we are miles away from anyone who would disturb us including children. Why waste the opportunity?"

"Children? Jaken is usually the one who interrupts!"

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. "Jaken is simple enough to deal with."

"A swift kick in the head?"

"Or babysitting duty."

Rin laughed and pushed Sesshomaru to fall back onto the bed. "Good idea. That would take care of both Jaken and our children." She leaned down and gave him a passionate kiss. She felt his grip around her tighten. He pushed her head closer and didn't let her lips leave his. Rin pushed away from him and laughed. "I need to breathe."

Sesshomaru released her, and she laid down on the bed beside him. "Speaking of children, I heard you tell Kagome-"

"You were eavesdropping?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Simply listening." His eyes softened, but the hard expression on his face didn't change. "You shouldn't have told her about...that."

Rin closer her eyes and moved to lay her head on her mate's chest. "I know...but what if she could change it? Give us a warning that it was a trap?"

"No."

"But-"

"No." She felt Sesshomaru's hand on her head, and he began to stroke her hair. "And what if her warning changes things for the worse?" Rin closed her eyes. He was right, but she didn't want to admit it. "What if I lost you?" he added quietly.

"It's impossible to get rid of me." She pushed herself up and moved over top of Sesshomaru. She pressed her lips against his. The demon easily pushed her over and moved so he was above her. She giggled. _He only likes to be on top so he's in control..._ He kissed at her neck and ran his hands down her sides and down her legs. He brought them back up taking her dress up at the same time. She leaned forward so he could pull it off above her head. The demon tossed the garment aside and pushed his lips down on hers. Rin ran her hands up his bare back and pulled him as close as she could. She pushed all thoughts of the past and the future out of her mind. _Right now there's only Sesshomaru._ The dog demon moved his lips down her neck and across her right shoulder. Rin leaned forward and moved her hands to his head. She pulled him closer and licked at his ear. "Make love to me," she whispered into his ear and lightly bit at the lobe.

Sesshomaru let out a soft growl. "You dare tell me what to do?" He moved out of her grip to place a string of kisses across her midsection.

"I was begging..." The woman let out a soft moan as her mate ran his hands across her breasts.

He chuckled. "Continue. I'm not yet convinced."

"Sesshomaru!"

**June 24th, 2000**

Kagome sat on the front steps of the shrine with Inuyasha. Rin had sent her a text message about ten minutes earlier saying she was on her way. The wind had picked up, but the sun was still shining. Nervously the woman played with the bows in her quiver which sat on her lap at the moment. _This "evil cloud" can't be any worse than Naraku._ Still, she was worried. She looked over at Inuyasha. He sat cross-legged with Tetsuaiga resting on his shoulder. He didn't look worried at all. "What do you think the storm is?"

"A demon."

"You're not worried at all?"

"Nope." Kagome shrugged. He apparently wasn't in a talkative mood.

She stood up as a blue minivan stopped in front of the shrine. The door slid open and a man with dark hair and eyes jumped out. Kagome noticed his ears and paused. _He's a dog demon? _The man turned back towards the van and offered his hand to an unseen passenger. Rin followed him out with his assistance a moment later. Sesshomaru stepped out of the front passenger door and took Rin's hand. The pair headed up the stairs towards her and Inuyasha. Kagome noticed another dog demon with white hair join the first. All four of the visitors were dressed in modern clothes. It was odd sight for Kagome. "Good morning," Rin called up the stairs.

"Morning!" Kagome replied. "Is that _your _car?" She couldn't picture Sesshomaru purchasing a minivan.

"A rental," Sesshomaru clarified. He sent a glare at the other white-haired, dog demon behind him.

"It was either that or a pickup truck, and I didn't want to make you ride in the back," the demon defended himself with a smile.

Rin smiled. "This is Isas and Yemon." She gestured towards the demon who spoke and then the dark-haired one. "Both are good friends and skilled warriors."

"This is weird," the one Rin pointed out as Yemon said. He looked back and forth between Inuyasha and Kagome.

Isas chuckled. "It's good to see both of you."

"We know each other?" Kagome asked.

"Perhaps, but I'm under strict orders to not say anything." He smiled at Rin.

"If you're ready, let's go," Sesshomaru said and headed back towards the van.

Kagome and Inuyasha climbed into the back seat of the vehicle followed in by Rin and Yemon in the middle seat. Kagome noticed that behind the back seat was a stack of duffel-bags. _That must be where their swords are..._ She looked back up towards the front to catch Isas watching them from the rear-view mirror. He looked away when he caught Kagome's eye. "Where we going?" Inuyasha asked.

Rin looked over her right shoulder at him. "We're heading to the coast. Hopefully with the weather forecast, people won't be on the beach. We'll try to stop the storm there. I'm not sure if-"

"Can I ask you something?" Yemon said interrupting her. He turned in his seat and looked back at the pair in the back seat and then back at Rin. The woman nodded. "If these two are going to be heading back to the past when we're done with the storm," he gestured to Kagome and Inuyasha, "can't they warn us about the attack on the castle?"

"No Yemon," Sesshomaru said from the front passenger seat.

"But we could save Ryomi!"

Rin put her hand on the dog demon's arm. "Yemon, we don't-"

"I said no," Sesshomaru said sternly.

"But My Lord!"

"Stop Yemon!" Isas jumped into the argument. "Know your place."

"I do! I was assigned to protect her, and now I have the opportunity to save her life!"

"Yemon!" Rin snapped. "Stop!" The woman wiped at her eyes obviously upset. Kagome inwardly frowned. _Poor Rin._ "Don't you think I want to save them too? We can't take the chance. If Kagome were to go back and warn us, it could change things for the worse, not make them better."

"Isn't it worth the risk?" the dark-haired dog demon said coldly.

Rin glanced back at Kagome and then looked at Yemon. She shook her head. "I...I can't make that decision."

"It's not. End of discussion," Sesshomaru said. The passengers of the van fell quiet.

They pulled up to the public beach a few minutes later. Rin had been right; it looked deserted. Kagome followed the others out of the van and slung on her quiver of arrows. She looked out across the water. The waves were rough because of the high winds, but he sun was still shining. "Are you sure it's coming?" She couldn't sense a demonic aura either.

"I can smell it," Inuyasha said.

"You only smell the wind," Sesshomaru said from behind them.

Inuyasha looked like he was going to yell something back to Sesshomaru when Rin stepped in between them. "Come with me Kagome. Let's get ready." The woman grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the womens shelter house. Once they got inside, Rin dropped the bag she had been holding onto the floor and sighed.

"Are you alright?" Kagome asked her.

Rin bit her lower lip and looked down at the floor. "Do you think Yemon is right?" Kagome blinked at the question. _Why is she asking me?_ "I understand Sesshomaru point, but..." she looked up. "Shouldn't I do anything I can to save my children?"

"Why is Sesshomaru so against it?"

"He's worried it could change things. That he'll lose me and his other children."

Kagome leaned against the bathroom's wall. "And what if he's right?"

"What if he's wrong?" Rin shook her head. "I don't know." She picked up her back and walked into one of the changing stalls. "Yemon was in love with her," she said a moment later from behind the curtain.

"Who?"

"My oldest daughter, Ryomi. He'd never admit it, but we all knew."

Kagome frowned and looked down at the bow in her hands. "So he took it pretty hard."

"He felt responsible for their deaths," Rin said quietly. "He was there at the castle when the attack happened." The woman stepped out from behind the curtain. Kagome looked up in surprise. Rin had undergone a complete transformation. She was in a red kimono that was slit down the sides. She wore a pair of white pants and a pair of black boots. "Can you tie me up?"

Kagome nodded and begin to tie the laces attached to a chest plate. She wondered at what age Rin started wearing armor. "Do _you_ think it's worth the risk?" she asked as she finished tying the knots.

Rin stepped towards the mirror and pulled her hair up on top of her head. She turned around and looked at Kagome. "I do," she said softly. She crouched down and pulled a sword out of the bad and put it into her sash.

"Then I promise Rin that before I die, I'll give you some kind of warning."

The other woman nodded. "If you wait and tell me after I'm already with Sesshomaru, after I've already had my first two children...maybe it won't be such a risk then."

"It'll work. I promise!" Kagome stepped closer and gave Rin a hug. "I promise Rin."

They separated, and Rin wiped tears off of her cheaks. "Thank you Kagome. I never could have asked for a better sister." Kagome smiled. Rin reached down and took a second sword from the bag. "We better get going." She put the sword in her sash beside the first one.

"That's Bakusaiga," Kagome said surprised that Rin had Sesshomaru's sword.

Rin smiled. "Sorry Kagome. I can't tell you anymore secrets."

"Secret? I _know_ that's Bakusaiga!"

"Yes, and it's my sword. The why it's now _my_ sword is the secret. You'll know someday." She picked up the bag, and they headed back outside. Rin handed her bag to Isas who threw it back into the van.

Kagome noticed that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were arguing. "What's going on?" she asked the pair.

"I'm trying to figure out why this moron brought us to the beach when there's not anything coming!" Inuyasha yelled and pointed at his brother.

"I thought you could smell it?" Kagome asked skeptically.

"It's just the wind!"

"It'll be here before you know it," Isas said. He was holding a cell phone, and Kagome guessed he was tracking the weather.

Kagome walked towards the water. Her tennis shoes sunk into the beach, and sand whipped up at her face because of the high winds. The waves tossed and were white crested. She was glad she had put on a pair of jeans instead of wearing shorts. The air had a chill to it. She noticed that the others had followed her out. Inuyasha sat down on the sand, and Sesshomaru looked up into the sky. Rin was talking to Yemon, and Isas stared down at his phone. "Does someone have a plan?" Kagome asked. _We don't even know what we're fighting..._

Everyone turned to Sesshomaru. He glanced around the group. "We can't form a plan until we know how it responds to each of our attacks." He narrowed his eyes. "My assumption is that your sacred arrow is going to do the most damage. We won't know until the fight begins." Kagome nodded. The butterflies in her stomach begin to go double time. _So the fate of Tokyo rests with me...great._

"In any case," Rin said, "we have to work as a team. Whatever difference in opinions we may have, now isn't the time to argue them." She turned to Sesshomaru. "We'll follow your lead My Lord." The other dog demons nodded.

Kagome looked down at Inuyasha. He was still sulking in the sand. "We'll do anything you say Sesshomaru. Right Inuyasha?"

The half-demon shrugged. "Sure whatever."

"It's almost here," Isas said.

Kagome looked back out across the water and watched for any sign of the storm. In the distance, she could sense the demonic energy approaching.

Rin watched her mate's face. His senses were the strongest. She knew he would be able to see the storm before any of the others. He glanced down at her. He didn't say anything, but she had a suspicion he was worried about her. She gave him a smile. The demon's eyes seem to soften for a moment, and then he looked back out at the water. "You'll be able to see it in a moment," he said.

"I sense the demonic aura!" Kagome called out.

Rin took a deep breath. _This is it._ If they didn't stop the storm, thousands would die, maybe even her children and friends in the mountains far to the west. There was no telling how far the demonic presence would go before it stopped. The sky around them began to darken, and the wind picked up. She took her swords from her waist and held them at the ready. Beside her, Sesshomaru unsheathed Raisaiga. Suddenly, dark clouds appeared, and the sky went dark. "Sesshomaru?"

"Kagome, shoot at it!" he commanded.

Her sister-in-law shot an arrow up at the cloud. The pink light tore through the cloud, splitting it in two. After the spiritual energy dissipated, the cloud seemed to swirl and put itself back together. "Now what?" the woman yelled back over her shoulder.

"It doesn't have a solid form." The demon lord turned to Rin. "Attack it with Bakusaiga."

Rin nodded. "Bakusaiga!" She swung her sword, and it released a wave of green energy towards the cloud. Once it hit the demonic presence, it looked like green lightening was erupting within it. After a moment, it stopped. It looked like the attack had thinned out the cloud, but otherwise, it took no damage. _That's all Bakusaiga did? That's it? _Rin took a deep breath. She hadn't been afraid until now.

"My Lord?" Isas yelled over the sound of the wind.

"Wind Scar!" Inuyasha attacked with Tetsuaiga before Sesshomaru issued any more commands. His attack had a similar effect as Bakusaiga's. The cloud rolled closer to the shore unfazed by their defense.

"It's almost on top of us!" Kagome yelled.

"Everyone attack it at once!" Sesshomaru ordered. "We'll thin it out and then finish it off." Every member of the group began to attack the demonic storm. _It's working!_ The cloud stopped advancing, and holes were forming. Rin crossed her swords in front of her and then swung Bakusaiga and Kiryoku outwards. A large wave of blue-green energy flew towards the cloud and struck it.

Suddenly, the storm attacked. An arm that almost looked like a tornado funnel swung down towards the beach. _It now sees us as a threat!_ Sesshomaru swung his sword, Raisaiga, at the funnel. The arm fell apart. "Look out!" Rin yelled. Two more arms came arcing down at them, specifically at her and her mate. The pair struck at the wind funnels, and as soon as were hit, more came from the cloud. Rin felt her eyes widen. _I can't fight off this many! _She struck one with Bakusaiga and spun around to see anther coming from behind her.

"My Lady!" Yemon's voice came from behind her. Rin destroyed the arm coming at her and then spun around. Yemon jumped in front of another funnel aimed at her back. He didn't attack it in time, and it hit him.

"Yemon!" The woman dove after her friend as he fell to the sand. The funnel had formed a large hole in his chest where he had been struck. _Yemon!_ _Not even a demon will survive an injury like this!_ Rin saw that his eyes were closed. _Is he already dead?_

Lightening suddenly flew over her head, and she looked up to see Sesshomaru standing there. "Get back Rin!" The demon pulled at the back of her armor and pulled her to her feet. Rin knew she needed to help him fight, but she felt numb. "Snap out of it Rin!" She looked around her to see Inuyasha and Kagome were still wildly attacking the demonic cloud. Rin began to used her swords once again to help. "We don't have enough time," Sesshomaru yelled from beside her. "We need to retreat and try again with more power."

Rin stole a glance at him, and then turned her attention back to the storm. "But Tokyo will-"

"No choice! We have to go now!" The dog demon began to back up further away from the water. "Inuyasha, Kagome, fall back!" Inuyasha shoved Kagome behind him and begin to fall back also. Rin saw Isas fall a few feet in front of her as the storm got through his defenses. He suffered from an injury similar to Yemon's. Sesshomaru let out a yell and swung Raisaiga as hard as he could. She recognized the Dragon Strike. The storm erupted in lightening, but after a moment, it stopped and the demonic presence was still there. He attacked again. "Run now Rin! Go!"

The woman turned around and took off for the van. Inuyasha and Kagome were close behind her. She pulled open the side door and jumped in. Inuyasha followed behind her, Kagome jumped into the driver's seat. She turned the van on and begin to back up. "What about Sesshomaru?" Rin yelled.

"He better hurry up, or we won't outrun that thing!"

Rin looked out the window to see her mate continue to attack. She thought about jumping out and going to help him. Suddenly, the demon lord transformed into his larger form. "What is he doing?"

"Go Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled.

"No!" Rin jumped into the back seat and pressed her face against the back window as they began to drive away. "We can't leave him!"

"He's giving us a chance to escape!" Inuyasha said harshly. "Why else would he transform?"

The woman watched as the storm surrounded the giant, white dog. _He won't survive..._ "Sesshomaru!" Rin continued to watch as they left her mate behind to die.

Kagome pressed the gas pedal to the floor. She swallowed back her emotions as she flew down the city streets. _We just left him._ She tried to catch her breath. _We failed. Everyone in Tokyo is going to die._ She sped towards her home.

"Where are we going?" Inuyasha asked.

"Home. I don't think we can outrun the storm. Our only chance at survival is to go back through the well." After a few minutes of hazardous driving, they arrived at the shrine. Kagome jumped out of the driver's seat and ran to the side door. "Let's go!"

Inuyasha jumped out and reached out for Rin. She was in the back seat with her hands pressed against her face. When the half-demon touched her hand, she pulled back. "Don't touch me! You left him!"

"Come on kid or we're _all_ gonna die!" Inuyasha yelled at her. She didn't move, so he grabbed her arms and pulled her out. With some resistance, he flung her over his shoulder. Kagome led the way up the stairs and into her home.

"Mom? Souta? Grandpa?" she ran through the house looking for her family.

"Hurry Kagome!" Inuyasha called after her.

She ran into the kitchen and saw a note on the refrigerator: _Kagome, we went to get groceries._ "They left! I told them to stay here where it's safe! Why would they leave?"

Inuyasha came up beside her and frowned. He shifted Rin on his shoulder. It looked like she had given up on fighting. "No time to look for them. We have to go."

"But-"

"Now Kagome!" She reluctantly nodded and followed her husband outside. She looked up to see the demonic storm was moving closer. Inuyasha pushed the doors to the building hiding the well open with his free hand. "Go!" The woman jumped down into the well.

Gravity disappeared and for a moment, Kagome felt like she was swimming. When the ground beneath her felt solid again, she looked up. The sky was blue. They had made it. Inuyasha appeared beside her after a moment. "Where's Rin?"

Inuyasha looked confused for a moment and then looked around him. "I just had her!"

"We have to go back through!"

"No way!"

"Inuyasha!" 

The half-demon put his hands on her arms. "No way," he said sternly. "We barely escaped. We're not going back yet. We'll go back through this evening. The storm should be gone after a few hours."

"But what about Rin?"

He frowned. "If the kid survived, she'll be there when we go back. If not..." He looked away. "...we'll see when we go back."

They didn't go back to the village. Kagome didn't feel like trying to explain to Sango and Miroku what happened. _Is my family alright? Did they escape the storm?_ The pair sat by the well for a few hours. They just sat there in silence, and the wait was killing Kagome.

"Kagome?" she opened her eyes to see Inuyasha was gently pushing her.

"Did I fall asleep?" The half-demon nodded.

"Let's go back." Kagome got up and sat on the ledge of the well. Terrified of what she would find on the other side, she hopped down.

When the trip through time was complete, Kagome was back in the modern era. Inuyasha appeared right behind her. The Rin from her future sat in the corner. She had her arms wrapped around her legs, and her face buried in between her knees. "Rin?" Kagome asked. The woman didn't respond.

"Where's the roof?" Inuyasha asked quietly.

Kagome looked up to see the sky. The storm had passed, and the sun was shining once again. The woman began to climb up out of the well. When she reached the top, she hopped over the wall, and ran up the stairs. When she saw her surroundings, the woman sank to the ground and thought she was going to be sick. "Oh my god." Everything was gone. The surrounding buildings were falling down and fires could be seen across the cityscape. She looked to her left to see the sacred tree was falling over; cracked and broken branches laid across the ground. _What about my family? Where's my mom? _Inuyasha sat down beside her. He was silent. "We have to fix this," Kagome said. "We have to figure out a way to change this." She jumped up and headed back down into the well.

"What are you doing?" Inuyasha called after her.

Rin hadn't moved. Kagome sat down beside the woman. "If-if I give you a warning back in time, do you think we can change things? Do you think we could beat it if we tried again?"

The woman looked up. Her face was streaked from tears, and her eyes were red. "We have to try," she said hoarsely. "I...I can't live without Sesshomaru." A new wave of tears began to stream down her face.

"What should I do?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha had climbed down to join them at that point.

"Give me a warning. If you wait, things won't change until you do," Rin said and wiped her cheaks.

"So I have to give you the warning now."

"You said I'm only about ten on the other side. Put the warning in a note and tell me not to read the note until...until my thirtieth birthday."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Will you seriously hold onto it and not read it for that long?"

Rin nodded. "If you tell me that it will cost Sesshomaru his life if I open it early, I think my younger self will wait to read it and not forget. That way we won't be risking me finding out that I'll be Sesshomaru's mate before it happens." She put her hands onto her face and began to sob. "We have to save him."

Kagome nodded. "We'll try Rin. My family is gone too."

The other woman looked up. "Your mom? Kagome, I'm sorry." She leaned forward and wrapped Kagome in a hug. "Put in the note that we need more demons. I think if there were enough of us attacking the storm, we could stop it. We have to try."

Kagome nodded. "We'll go take the note now. That way the timeline will change right away."

Rin nodded. "Let's hope that it changes for the better."

"Ready?"

Kagome nodded. "Ready." She hopped up onto Inuyasha's back, and the half-demon took off. She held onto her husband as he ran towards the Western Lands. The night before had been rough. The realization that her family gone had finally hit her. Sango had tried to comfort her, but Kagome decided not to tell her what had happened. She didn't want anyone else to know about the future.

It took hours and a lot of stopping for directions, but the pair finally made it into Sesshomaru's territory. "That's your father's castle?" Kagome asked. The directions they had been given lead them to a large dwelling that looked big enough to house an army.

"I guess," Inuyasha said as he sat her down. "Considering those guards are dog demons, I'd say this is the place."

As they walked closer to the building, a dog demon fully clad in armor and a mask stopped them. They identified themselves, and the demon ordered them to follow him. Kagome was dumbfounded as they entered the building. _This place is huge!_ "Commander, this half-demon claims to be Lord Sesshomaru's brother." Kagome looked to see another guard had joined the first one that had brought them in.

The second guard pushed his mask back, and Kagome immediately recognized Isas. "Lord Sesshomaru said he recognized his scent the second he entered the building." Isas turned to them and gave them a small bow. "Please wait a moment. My Lord will be with you shortly."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome looked up to see a young girl run into the room. She ran at them and wrapped her arms around her husband's midsection. _Rin..._ Seeing the girl gave her a weird feeling. Normally, she'd be more than happy to see her, but after leaving her in the future, she felt guilty. _But we're going to change all that..._

"Hey kid," Inuyasha said as he pulled the girl off of him. "We came to visit!"

Rin's eyes lit up. "Really? You won't believe what Master Karasaya has been teaching me! I know how to use a sword now!"

"Rin," Sesshomaru's voice came from across the room. Kagome looked up at her brother-in-law. His hair was long, and his face wore the cool blank expression she remembered. She fought to keep her emotions down. The fact that she had left him to die was still fresh in her memory. "Move back Rin."

The girl nodded and went to stand beside Sesshomaru. _I wonder when they will fall in love..._ "Explain yourself," Sesshomaru demanded to Inuyasha.

"Uh, Rin left some stuff back at our place. We wanted to bring it to her. That's all," Inuyasha said. Kagome could tell the sight of Sesshomaru was bugging him too. _It'll be different...we're going to change things._

"Hey Rin!" Kagome said trying to sound cheerful. "Do you want to show me your room?" She took off her backpack. "I have some of your belongings that you left behind."

Rin smiled and looked up at Sesshomaru. He nodded. "This way Kagome!" the girl said motioning for her to follow.

"I'll wait here," Inuyasha said. Kagome nodded and followed Rin.

The girl showed Kagome all around her room. She had to admit she was impressed. Sesshomaru had provided the girl with an actual bed in a frame, wardrobes, and a vanity with a mirror. Rin talked a mile a minute explaining how Sesshomaru let her pick everything out. After a few minutes, she finally asked Kagome what she had brought. Rin had left behind a few of her kimonos and a few other small things Kagome had wanted to give her. _Not that the kimonos matter; it looks like she has thirty or more in her wardrobe already._ "What's this? It's locked."

Kagome paused as Rin found the small jewelry box she had brought for her. She had put the note in there. "Um, come here Rin." She motioned for the girl to sit beside her on the bed. She sat down and looked at Kagome in anticipation. "I have a secret to tell you, but you _can't _tell anyone else. Not even Sesshomaru!"

Rin blinked. "Really? What is it?"

"You know how I was gone for a long time?"

She nodded. "Inuyasha said that you had gone home."

"Yes, but I still wanted to come back and visit. I just couldn't. You see..." She paused. _How do I put this?_ "My home isn't far away. It's actually in the same place Kaede's village is, just in a different time."

"What?" The girl looked confused.

"I can travel between two times Rin. It's five hundred years in the future at my home. I can travel between the two times through the Bone Eater's well. I was gone for so long because the well was broken, and I couldn't get back."

Rin nodded and was quiet for a moment. "That's why Inuyasha always walked out by the well. He was waiting for you." Kagome smiled at that bit of information. "I think I understand Kagome. So all the neat things you bring from your home are actually from the future?"

"Yup."

"Cool." She gave her a bright smile. "Can I try to go through the well?"

Kagome shook her head. "It only works for Inuyasha and me. It opened for me because I needed to come back to this time and destroy the sacred jewel."

"And help beat Naraku," Rin added.

"Mmm-hmm."

Rin seemed to ponder it over for a moment. "So why are you telling me your secret? Especially if you don't want Lord Sesshomaru to know?"

Kagome took a deep breath. _Sharp kid._ She picked up the box and handed it to Rin. "In this box is a very important piece of information from the future." The girl's eyes lit up as she held the box.

"I'll give you the key if you make me a promise."

"What?"

"You can't open this box until your thirtieth birthday."

"That's a really long time!" Rin cried.

"I know, but it's important. The information in that box is about Sesshomaru's future. You'll have to save his life one day." She remembered what the older version of Rin had told her to say. "If you open it early, Sesshomaru might die."

Rin's eyes widened, and she sat the box down on her bed. "He'll die?" Kagome nodded feeling guilty for scaring the girl. "Okay Kagome. I promise. I won't open it until my thirtieth birthday."

"And don't forget!"

"Okay."

Kagome took the key for the box's lock and handed it to Rin. "Keep that somewhere safe."

The girl took the key and nodded. She got up and put the key in the top drawer of her vanity. She then took the box and put it on one of the shelves in her wardrobe. She turned around and looked at Kagome. "Will you be here when I open it?"

The woman thought about it for a split second. "Yeah, I'll be there Rin. Just to remind you to open it if nothing else."

The girl smiled. "Okay!"

Kagome stood beside the Bone Eater's well with Inuyasha. "Do you think anything has changed?"

"I don't know," Inuyasha said soberly.

She took a deep breath. "Let's go." The woman jumped through the well like she had a hundred times before. _I don't think I've ever been so nervous though._ As soon as she felt solid ground beneath her feet, she looked up. "The roof is there!" She climbed out of the well as fast as she could with Inuyasha's help. They ran up the stairs and outside. _It changed!_ Tokyo was standing. The buildings were all there, and everything looked normal.

"I smell your mother," Inuyasha said.

Kagome took off and ran into the house. "Mom?" She heard a reply from the kitchen and ran in to find her mom there. "Mom!" She ran over to the woman and wrapped her in a hug.

"Kagome, are you alright?"

She took a step back and wiped the tears off of her cheaks. "I thought I had lost you! It was so awful Mom!" She gave her another hug.

"Have you seen Rin?" Inuyasha asked from behind her.

"Who?" her mother asked. Kagome took a step back from her mom. "Are you talking about the demon girl? I haven't seen her since you went with her a few days ago." Kagome frowned. _What demon girl?_

**And the timeline has changed...you'll see how next chapter.**

**To answer a few questions - **

**I made this story mature because I wanted it to be a little bit sexier. I'm not planning on making anything graphic though!**

**Some of my section breaks got deleted. Sorry, I tried adding the 1's this time to see if that would keep them from disappearing. That happened with my last story a few times too...**

**Well, I hope you enjoyed. See you next time!**

**-Rachel**


	3. A Warning from the Future

This is a sequel to _Forever with Lord Sesshomaru._ I suggest you read that story first to get caught up, but this one can be a stand alone...

Summary: Kagome discovers that when you time travel things can get pretty messed up. A story about twisting time lines and family Kagome never knew she had in the modern era. How can she have a half demon for a niece? Set in all times and eras and back again. SxR mostly.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any characters from Inuyasha. Any original characters, please don't reuse.

**Chapter 3**

**A Warning from the Future**

**Feudal Era – 1574**

_Where is he?_ Rin sat on the stone pathway in her garden. She took a deep breath and looked at the flowers around her. It wasn't helping to calm her nerves. _Everything around me is falling apart. _She put her hand on her forehead attempting to massage out her frustration. _I now understand why demons don't like dealing with humans. _After spending over half a century uniting the humans and demons in her lands, the peace was beginning to fall apart. The human powers changed too often. New rulers rose and old friends passed away. Every time the leadership changed, so did relationships between the humans and demons and their allegiances with Lord Sesshomaru.

"Mother?" a sing-song voice came from her left.

She turned to the voice's owner, a half-demon girl. "What is it Shiori?" Her third oldest child sat there among the flowers. She held a daisy in her hand and spun it around between her fingers. The girl was eighteen, but because she was half-demon she aged slowly. She looked to be the same age as six-year old human girl. Her silver hair reflected the colors of the flowers around her. Rin inwardly frowned. She was terrified that she would lose her children as a result of the turmoil rolling across her lands.

Shiori looked up and smiled. Her dog-like ears twitched with the motion. "This flower is called a daisy. It matches your necklace!" She pushed herself up and came to sit beside Rin. "I picked it for you."

The Lady of the Western Lands took the flower. "Thanks sweetheart." The girl smiled and handed Rin the flower. The woman took a deep breath of the daisy's scent. They always reminded her of her mate.

"Look! Here comes Father!" Shiori pointed up towards the sky. Rin breathed a sign of relief. She looked up but didn't see anything. She inwardly smiled. The woman had gotten used to the fact a long time ago that everyone in her family had better senses than she did.

She stood up and watched. After a few moments, the shapes of AhUn and two dog demons came closer. Sesshomaru had gone to visit with Karasaya, the leader of the dog demons. He wanted to be sure that the dog demons would help him if a war broke out. _This is how Kagome said it would be...one day all the demons would be gone. _She wasn't going to go down without a fight though, and she would do whatever was necessary to protect her children. AhUn landed in the garden with Sesshomaru and Ryomi, their oldest daughter, on its back. Yemon and Isas landed beside the dragon demon. "Sesshomaru!" Rin walked to her mate as he dismounted. He reached out and placed his hands near her elbows and held her before him. His face was blank, but she could see the emotion in his eyes. She saw frustration there and...she couldn't place it.

"Karasaya is with us, but only for protection. He won't go on the offensive," the demon lord said in his usual emotionless tone.

"I'm not surprised," she answered. "We may need him sooner than we thought. Word has come from Shinakio that diplomats from Edo arrived to negotiate a deal with them."

Sesshomaru froze. He knew as well as she did what it meant. "A bold move. This is the furthest they've moved into our lands."

Rin nodded. "I have no doubts that Shinakio will remain loyal to us, but it could mean a-"

"They'll be attacked," Sesshomaru finished for her in a soft tone.

"What about the children?" she asked. They had to keep them safe.

"My Lady?" Isas said from beside her. He was Sesshomaru's adviser and had been a long-time, loyal friend of the Lord and Lady. He also was a dog demon, a wise strategist, and a fierce warrior. "I'll organize a reconnaissance team to watch for any incoming threat to the village."

"No, not yet Isas," she answered. She looked back at her mate to see him watching her daughter, Ryomi, entering the castle. The teenage girl looked upset. _Not teenager...she's sixty-two._ Rin sometimes forgot that her children were much older than they looked. _She definitely acts like a seventeen year-old._ She would have to ask Sesshomaru later if there was something upsetting her. There were more important issues to deal with at the moment.

"My Lord?" Isas said. Rin knew he was questioning her answer.

"Do as she says," the demon lord responded. "Begin to assemble your men and prepare for battle. We have reason to believe the castle is the target for an attack."

The adviser frowned. "How do you-"

"And send Hiraku to Lord Karasaya. We're going to need as many warriors as he can spare."

"Uh...Yes My Lord," Isas responded.

Rin felt the fear in her gut begin to grow. "Send out that reconnaissance team Isas, but we need to know where the army from Edo is hiding. Any men that are heading for Shinakio or Shouhei are a distraction. They are not part of the main group."

"Sure Lady Rin. But how do you know this?"

"Don't question us; just go," Sesshomaru said obviously agitated.

"Yes My Lord!" Isas turned back to the castle with a scowl. Yemon followed after him.

"I'm going to go talk to Ryomi first," Rin said. She looked up to Sesshomaru. "Then we'll send them to the mountains."

He nodded. "Come to my study after you've talked to her." Rin squeezed her mate's arms and then stepped back out of his grip. She turned and began towards the castle when she felt Sesshomaru put his hand on her shoulder. She paused and looked up as he leaned down and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "They will be fine," he said softly. She gave him a halfhearted smile and nodded. They walked into their home, and Sesshomaru turned towards the stairs.

Rin followed him up the stairs and walked down the northern corridor towards Ryomi's room. She paused as she saw Haya. "How's Genkei?"

"The baby is asleep My Lady," the pig demon answered. Rin smiled. She pushed back the urge to go hold her newborn son. He was only eight-months old, and she still very proud of giving Sesshomaru another son. She inwardly sighed and decided to wait until after talking to Ryomi to go hold him.

"Have you seen Ryomi?"

"She has not been up here Lady Rin."

"Perhaps she's in the Great Room. Thank you Haya." She headed back downstairs. If Ryomi wasn't in her room, she would most likely be practicing with her sword. The young woman was obsessed with becoming stronger and would practice in the great hall or outside for hours. _Considering she looked like she was upset, I should have checked there first._ Rin reached the room's entrance and looked inside. Ryomi was indeed in there practicing, and Kenchiro was watching her a few feet from inside the doorway.

Not surprisingly, the siblings were arguing with each other. _Ken's been pestering Ryomi more and more lately..._ "You're such a loser Ry. You just don't want to fight because I would beat you!"

His sister let out a sigh. "Go away creep. I've had enough of pushy men for one day."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means go away."

The boy rolled his eyes. "Fine. You're boring anyways."

"Kenchiro," Rin said shortly, "leave your sister alone. You don't need to antagonize her."

He spun around, and his eyes were wide obviously aware he was in trouble. "But she called me-"

"Enough." The woman narrowed her eyes at her son. "Go visit with your Father. He...he may want to spend some time with you. He's in his study."

The boy frowned at the odd request. "Okay." He left, and Rin watched him walk down the hall towards the stairs.

"What's going on?" Ry asked as she put her sword back in its sheath. She too must have picked up on the strange request. Sesshomaru wasn't one to request his children to come to him. _Although he never sends them away, even if he's busy._

Rin looked back at the girl. "Where's Yemon?"

"Here," a voice came from the far side of the room. Yemon walked out from behind a pillar.

"Why are you always spying on me?" Ry said in a mock-angry tone.

The dog demon gave her a shrug. "It's my job. Sorry."

The human woman smiled. "You're excused for now Yemon. I have to talk with Ryomi." He gave them a bow and left the room.

Her daughter gave her a frown. "Come on," Rin said. She motioned for her to follow and led Ryomi up to her's and Sesshomaru's quarters. As they entered the room, Ry flopped down on the bed. "What's bothering you?" Rin asked as she walked over to her vanity. The half-demon didn't answer. Rin inwardly frowned but let it go. She remembered what it was like to be a teenager. The woman took a small key out of the drawer of her vanity and then walked towards one of her wardrobes. She looked up and saw the small box on the shelf there. She paused as memories of her sister-in-law came flooding back.

"How did you get Father to fall in love with you?" Ryomi asked quietly. Rin spun around to look at her daughter in surprise. She looked to be very serious. _I should have figured it was boy troubles._

"I didn't."

"What?"

"I didn't." Rin turned and took the box off of the shelf. She walked back to the bed and sat down. "I didn't do anything to make him fall in love with me." She smiled at the perplexed look on her daughter's face. "I actually told him no when he asked me to be his mate. I told him that he would have a mutiny on his hands if he mated with a human."

"Well I knew he rearranged the way the dog demon clan was ruled because of taking you as his mate, but..." The girl frowned. "...you're saying he loved you _first_?"

Rin laughed. "I think we both had feelings for each other long before we would admit them. You see Ryomi, you can't _make_ someone fall in love with you, it just happens."

"And what if the one you like never falls in love with you."

The woman frowned. _Who upset my baby girl?_ "Then he was never worth your time in the first place! Ryomi, you have men lining up at the door interested in you. Any man who wouldn't give everything for you isn't worth it."

The girl made a face showing she was annoyed. "Those guys are just trying to get some power. They don't actually love me."

"What about Daitaro?" Ry looked away and crossed her arms across her chest. Rin got it. "Oh." She was suddenly concerned and upset for her daughter. "Did he say something to you?"

"Basically, the fact that he would never consider me as a mate because I'm half-demon," the girl choked out. She wiped at her face as a few tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Rin wrapped her arms around the girl and pulled her into a hug. "As I said, any man who wouldn't give everything for you isn't worth it. It shouldn't matter to him that you're half-demon." Ryomi didn't respond. The woman pulled her daughter closer and put her chin on the girl's head. "Don't cry Princess. Maybe he'll realize he was wrong, and maybe you'll realize there's a better choice for your mate. You are the heir of the Western Lands. It's up to _you_ to decide who you want to be your mate." The girl pushed away and looked up at her. "And you'll find that the ones who don't change their relationship with you after they know you're the selected heir are your true friends."

"What about Ken? He's the oldest male." Ry asked as she wiped at her eyes. She was obviously surprised at Rin's statement.

She smiled. "It doesn't mean he's the best choice. Your father and I agree that you are our successor."

The half-demon smiled. "Really? When are you going to tell everyone?"

"Well, you're brother probably won't understand why we've picked you until he's older. We don't want him to resent you, especially as young as he is."

"I understand." Ryomi smiled. Rin recognized the beautiful smile as a trait she passed on. The girl looked gorgeous when she smiled. "I won't tell Ken."

"Good. We don't need him throwing a fit right now."

Ryomi sat up straight. "Is something going on? I know Father was talking to Lord Karasaya about needing dog demon warriors."

Rin took a deep breath. "Edo is pushing into our lands. They've been turning our human allies against us and killing any demons they can find. Word is that they've sent an envoy to negotiate with the humans in Shinakio."

"They won't betray us.

"I know, but they'll be attacked for it. The problem is that we can't go help them right now."

"Why not?" The girl's dog-like ears twitched with anticipation.

"We have to protect the castle. If the Western Castle falls, we'll lose our lands."

"Explain."

"The castle is a symbol of power to our people. If we lose a battle here, we'll lose their confidence in us."

Ryomi nodded. "So an army is on it's way here?"

_Here comes the hard part._ "We're not for sure, but we have scouts looking for it now."

"So why aren't we helping Shinakio? We're hiding in the castle shaking in fear of an army we don't know is there instead of helping our allies?" the girl said coldly.

Rin felt the fear in the pit of her stomach again. _I have to save my children._ "Ry," she said softly. "If we go help Shinakio, you will die." She felt tears begin to accumulate in her eyes.

Ryomi stared at her blankly. "What are you talking about?"

The woman took the box from her lap and sat it on Ryomi's. "Your Aunt Kagome gave me this box when I was a little girl. She told me that inside was a warning about my future, and that I couldn't open it until my thirtieth birthday. If I opened it early or forgot to open it, Sesshomaru could die."

The girl's eye's widened. "Did you open it?"

Rin nodded. "On my thirtieth birthday like Kagome instructed. Inside was a note telling me about our futures. She told me that Sesshomaru would die in the year 2000, and that I would lose...my oldest four children when Edo attacked Shinakio. I now have the opportunity to change the future and save my family."

"How would Aunt Kagome know those things?"

"Kagome was a time-traveler."

"A what?" Ryomi clearly looked confused.

"She was from the future. She was the reincarnation of a priestess named Kikyo who protected the sacred jewel. When Kikyo died, the sacred jewel brought Kagome back in time through the Bone Eater's well so she could protect it," Rin quickly began to explain.

"Too fast Mom!" Ryomi put up her hands in protest. "I thought the sacred jewel was destroyed."

"It was after it turned evil."

"She didn't do a very good job of protecting it then."

"Ry, listen!" Rin sighed. "Do you understand? Kagome found out what happened in the future and gave me this note so we could try to change it."

The half-demon girl nodded. "Can I read it?"

Rin nodded. She took the box back and unlocked the clasp. She pulled out two pieces of paper. One was folded up into a small square. "This is the original note. It's faded, so I rewrote it." She handed the second piece of paper to Ryomi.

The girl took it and began to read aloud. "'Rin, On June 24th, 2000, a demonic aura will reach Japan and kill everything it touches. We tried to stop it, but it was too strong. It killed Sesshomaru.' What?" Ryomi looked up in shock.

"Keep reading."

She looked back down at the piece of paper. "'There were only six of us fighting against it, but I think if you had more demons to help, we might be able to stop it. If a large group of demons attacked it at once, it would overwhelm the cloud, and we could destroy it. You have to try Rin, otherwise everyone in Japan will be killed.'" Ryomi paused. "If it kills Father, how can it be stopped?"

Rin frowned. "That is an obstacle we will tackle at that time. Right now I'm concerned with the second warning written in that letter."

The half-demon girl looked upset at not getting an answer but continued reading. "'Rin, you also told me that your oldest four children...died.'" She took a deep breath. "'You told me not to tell you, but I had to give you the option of saving them. There was an attack at a village named Shinakio by an army from Edo. You and Sesshomaru went to help them, but it was a distraction. When you left the castle, the majority of the army attacked it. They killed your children and burned the castle. They had destroyed the bodies so Sesshomaru couldn't revive them with Tensaiga.'" Tears began to form in Ryomi's eyes, but she continued. "'I shouldn't be trying to alter the time line like this, but I would do anything for my family. Good luck Rin. I hope heaven grants you the wisdom to make the decisions you need to. Love, Kagome.'"

Both women were silent for a few minutes. Rin watched her daughter wondering how she would respond. She finally decided to break the silence. "As soon as I can get you and your brothers and sister packed, you are all going to go stay in the mountains."

Ryomi looked up and narrowed her eyes. _She looks so much like Sesshomaru._ "So you're deciding to save us and put the people of Shinakio at risk?"

"My lands are already at risk, besides if the castle falls, it means the Western Lands will split and break. We have to worry about more than just Shinakio right now."

"And what about protecting your people, human or demon? That's what you've always said is important. Aren't you worried that the humans of Shinakio will think they their demon lord has abandoned them? You could be starting a civil war!"

"If it results in a war between the humans and demons, we'll split them apart and they can live in separately. I'm not going to lose you over the dream that humans and demons can reside together."

"So, you're giving up?" her daughter asked in disbelief.

"Sometimes we lose what we're fighting for,."

"What kind of example are you?" Ryomi accused her. "You've always told me to fight for what I believe in!"

"And I believe in protecting my people!" she yelled back. She stood up to face the girl. "If separating the humans and demons means saving more lives, then that's what I'm going to do. Don't you understand Ryomi? It's not about power or status. It's about keeping the promise to protect these people."

"And when we're hiding in the mountains, how are we protecting anyone?"

"_I _will_ never_ hide in the mountains. If I have to travel for the rest of my life to protect the demons in this land, I will. Don't you _dare_ accuse me of being a coward! Don't you dare think I don't know what it's like to live in fear. I lived in fear my whole childhood, and I fight so the people in my lands don't have to live like that!"

Ryomi looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry Mother. I spoke out of turn."

Rin frowned. She immediately felt guilty. "Ryomi." She sat down and pulled her girl into a hug. Ryomi offered no resistance and leaned into her. "My precious, precious child. It's wise to question the things around you. It's the only way you'll discover the best solution." She sighed and ran her fingers through her daughter's white hair. "We're going to make a final stand here at the castle. If we fail, then hopefully we can take enough of the army out to slow them down. That will give the demons of the Western Lands enough time to find a hiding place, or maybe even regroup to stop the army. It will be up to the humans if they want to help their demon allies or betray them."

"You won't fail. Father won't fall to any human."

Rin smiled. "No, I've never seen anyone who could stand up against him."

"Do you really think he'll die in the future?" Ryomi sat up so she could look up at Rin.

"I don't know." She paused. "There's something else Ry. If something were to happen to me, I need you to gather as many demons as you can to stand up against that demonic aura."

"But-"

"This isn't about saving your Father. This about saving all the people on the island."

Ryomi nodded. "We'll all fight it together." The woman smiled at her daughter's positive response. _Let's hope so._

She took the note, placed it back in the small box, and locked it. "Here." She handed the box and key to Ryomi. "Take this with you and keep it safe." She stood up and pulled the young woman up with her. "Let's get you all packed."

Sesshomaru looked up as his mate walked into his study. She sat down on one of the stools in front of his desk. She hung her head down causing her dark hair to fall down over her face. He watched as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Why is this so hard?" she asked quietly.

A lesser man would have thought his mate was showing weakness, but Sesshomaru knew better. Rin had a ferocity that knew no bounds. She fought for what she believed in, she fought to protect her people, and she fiercely fought to protect her family. Times like this, when her emotions were openly displayed before him, showed where the woman's strength came from; she loved her family with all of her heart. "If it wasn't, you would be an unfit mother," the demon lord responded.

Rin looked up and gave him small smile. "I suppose you're right." She sat up straighter in her seat. "Unlike you, I'm not able to hide it though. I think I'm scaring Kenchiro and Shiori."

"Hnn. I'll speak with them."

She smirked at him. "For being a demon who shows no emotion, you really have a way with your children."

"I recall another child who would not leave me alone," he said warmly. "Somehow despite my best efforts, she also was taken with me."

"Best efforts? You didn't try very hard to be rid of me." The woman gave him a large smile.

"I left you with Jaken for hours at a time. What worse torture could I possibly inflict on you?" The woman let out a laugh.

"You have a point." Rin sighed and buried her head into her hands. Sesshomaru inwardly frowned. He didn't like to see his mate in this state. "Are we doing the right thing?" she asked quietly.

The demon thought about it for a moment. For centuries he had made all decisions on his own and never gave a second thought on how is actions affected others. He hadn't changed the way he made decisions once Rin began to follow him. He acted based on emotion, and it ended up putting the girl in harms way not once, but multiple times. He had realized then that her safety was more important than his pride. Now, his mate would question his decisions if she wasn't sure about it. It had annoyed him at first, but after a few years with her, he realized how brilliant the woman truly was. She could analyze every possibility, every person who would be affected, and what any decision would mean for the Western Lands. He admired her intuition and her judgment. _Except when she's willing to put herself in harm's way for the benefit of others..._ "You have another suggestion?"

She didn't look up. "I...what if we tell Shinakio to negotiate with them. What if we...surrender?" she said quietly.

The demon narrowed his eyes. "Surrender?"

"What kind of leaders are we if we lose our people in the process of protecting our lands? Which is more important?"

"They wish to eliminate the demon clans. Should I offer my life to them? What about our children?" he said raising his voice.

"Sesshomaru," she looked up at him. "I meant to protect the humans. The demons...we could find somewhere for them to go out of the humans' reach. Your mother said so herself. With so many humans in our lands-"

"Leave my mother out of this," he said harshly.

"What if Kagome was right?" Rin replied in the same tone. "What if all the demons are gone in the future?"

"She said _we_ survive. We'll do so again."

"And what about everyone else?" Her dark eyes were two small slit as she glared at him. Her jaw was set, and her very body quivered in anger. _She's beautiful._

"What would you have me do?"

She frowned and sank back down onto the stool. "I don't know," she said weakly. "I've worked too hard over the last sixty some years to have some upstart from Edo tear our lands apart, but...but what if-"

"Enough." Rin looked up at his voice. "Today, we'll protect our castle," he said. "If we fail to stop this threat, we'll make another decision then. For half a century, we've ruled over demons and humans together have kept them at peace. I will not be defeated so easily."

"So you believe we've made the best decision?"

_She has questioned me twice now. _"Nothing has changed. We will defend those who remain loyal to us and show no mercy to those who aren't. It is the same rule we've always followed."

The woman slowly nodded. "So the question now is: when we need our allies to defend us, will they come to our aid or will they wait for us to fall? Are they loyal to us because they respect you Sesshomaru or because they fear you?" She looked over the desk at him. He could see the emotion clearly written on her face. _She doesn't know the answer._

A knock came at the door, and Isas entered before Sesshomaru granted him permission to enter. The demon lord narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Shinakio is under attack!"

Rin jumped up from her seat. "What?"

"My scout reports that the leaders from Shinakio turned away the diplomats from Edo. When asked to join them, the Shinakio leaders refused to assist in the attack on Shouhei. The army from Edo is now moving against Shinakio," he said.

The human woman spun towards Sesshomaru. "We have to send the children to safety."

He nodded and stood. "They will not attack the castle until they believe we have gone to aid Shinakio. We will have time to send them off but need to do so quickly." As he moved around the desk to follow his mate, he pondered Rin's question. _Am I respected or feared? _He didn't know the answer himself.

Ryomi watched her father as her family gathered in the Great Hall. If there was one thing she knew about him, it would be that when he showed emotion, it was serious. She had seen the concern cross his face as he explained to her younger siblings why they were leaving. Truthfully, it left Ryomi terrified. _So this incoming army is large enough that it can take on the entire Western Castle including our body guards? Dog demons aren't that easy to defeat. _She looked over at her mother who held Genkei in her arms. The baby was quietly sleeping._ If Father is that concerned with this army, why isn't he sending Mother away also?_

The demon lord knelt down beside Shiori. "Will we be gone long?" the girl asked. "Can't we stay here with mother?"

"No, and you will return as soon as it's safe."

"I can stay and help fight," Ken said from beside the demon lord.

"You'll be going too Kenchiro," her mother said.

Ryomi caught a small smile on her father's face, but it disappeared after a moment. He placed his hand on her brother's head. "Hnn. Your bravery is admirable Son. Protect your sisters."

"I don't need him to protect me Daddy!" Shiori said with a giggle. "My guard is way stronger!"

"How do you know?" Ken snapped back at her.

"Enough," her mother said softly, but sternly. "Let's get ready to go."

Her father stood, and Shiori immediately reached up for a hug. The demon picked her up and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Ry smiled. _Here with us, he allows his emotion to show. No one else gets to see that._ "Stay out of trouble little one. I know how you like to explore."

The girl giggled and wrapped her arms around her father's neck. "Okay Dad!"

He sat her down gently. Kenchiro gave him a bow, and the demon lord gave him a short nod back. "Kenchiro, Ryomi is in charge."

"Yes Father."

Ryomi took a deep breath as her father looked over to her. He looked her over for a moment and then narrowed his eyes. After a moment he finally spoke, "Walk with me." The demon motioned for her to follow.

"Hurry back," her mother called after them as they left the room. Ryomi followed her father out the front door. He was silent as they walked passed the pair of guards at the gate. Once they had walked out into the open front yard, her father paused.

"It is apparent that you are unhappy with leaving. Understand that I can't have you join us in battle."

Ryomi frowned. "Why aren't you sending Mother with us?"

His eyes widened. "Why would I send her away?"

"I'm no fool Dad. This attack has you worried. If you're so concerned with protecting us, why aren't you concerned with protecting Mom?"

"You dare question me?"

"Yeah. I do." She took a deep breath as her father stared at her. His eyes became thin, golden slits as he glared.

After a moment, his face relaxed. "Heh, you're as stubborn as your mother." She waited for his answer. After a few long, silent minutes, he finally responded. "If the warning from Kagome is correct, the inbound attack is strong enough to stop more than a dozen demons and kill all of my children. I am taking no chances with your lives."

"And what about Mother?" she asked again.

"She fights along side me," he said softly. "The size of the threat does not change that."

Ry frowned. _Even though he doesn't let it show, I know he loves Mom. _She didn't understand why he didn't force her to leave. _Is it because he needs every warrior he has?_ "Are our personal guards staying here?"

The demon looked up towards the sky. "No."

"Don't you need them?"

"I need them to protect you."

"This is stupid! You're worried about an army that you don't even know is there, and meanwhile, everyone at Shinakio is being slaughtered!"

"Silence little one," he responded harshly. He looked down at her, his face set in stone. "By the end of the day, my lands will be torn apart." His eyes narrowed to thin slits. "The only chance for the people of my lands is for me to stop this army here. You ask me to help one human village and put all others at risk?"

Ryomi frowned. She understood what her father was saying, but she still didn't agree with him. She frowned, angry. _It still isn't right!_ "And if Mother or one of us kids were in Shinakio, wouldn't you rush there without thinking? What makes us worth saving and the Shinakio villagers not?" she yelled at him.

She let out a cry as the demon smacked her. She sank to her knees and put her hand on her right cheek. The pain was incredible. "Know your place." The half-demon girl looked up. Her father's figure was distorted by her tears. "You _will _respect me child." He offered his hand, but Ryomi looked away. After a moment, she felt his hand on her wrist, and he pulled her to his feet. She refused to look at him, but felt him place both his hands on her shoulders. "My family is my weakness. I would save you because I am not strong enough to abandon you for the good of the Western Lands." She pushed her eyelids closed as more tears began to stream down her cheeks. She was embarrassed at her behavior; she knew better than to question her father.

They stood there for what felt like an eternity. She could still feel her father standing in front of her unmoving. The young woman finally looked up. "I'm sorry," she whispered. _It seems like I'm always apologizing...when will I learn to keep my mouth shut._

The demon lord's face softened. "You will respect me Ryomi, and know that I also respect you." She blinked at his words. "You may never see your mother question me, but she does frequently. I respect her for that as I respect you for offering your opinion." He gave her a small smile. "_Offer _your opinion in the future, and don't assume I'm in the wrong. You have much to still learn about the world you reside in."

She nodded slowly. "I apologize Father." She inwardly frowned as her emotions began to catch up with her. "It's just...I see that you're concerned about this army, and I-I don't want to lose you or Mom!" The half-demon swung her arms around her father's neck. "Why won't you keep our guards here to help you?" she said with her face buried into his chest.

She felt her father's hands on her back. "They will protect you little one. That is their job. Do not fear for me."

She pulled back so she could look him in the face. "Why don't you send Mom with us?"

"As I said before, she fights along side me."

"Why?"

His eyes moved across her face and then he tipped his head up to look at the sky. "Your mother is... I trust no one else to protect her. She remains by my side. Protecting her is _my_ responsibility." Ryomi smiled. _You could have just said you loved her._

She let go of the demon and took a step back. "We probably should head back."

Her father nodded. "I want the four of you to already be at the mountains by time the army arrives." The demon lord suddenly looked up to the sky. Ry followed his gaze, but didn't see anything. After a few moments, her nose told her what her eyes couldn't pick up yet. _The dog demons are here._

Three dozen large silhouettes appeared in the sky above them. With an incredible speed, they grew closer. Ryomi caught her breath as the shapes of dog demons landed in front of her. It was a spectacular sight. The leader touched ground a short distance in front of her and her father. He let out a loud growl and then jumped towards them. Midway through his jump, the demon shrank to his smaller form and landed a few paces in front of her Father. The demons behind him followed suit. "If you're sending your children away, you better do so quickly," the leader, Lord Karasaya, said. "You don't have much time before the humans arrive."

"We flew over their camp on the way here," the demoness beside him said. Ry recognized her as Lord Karasaya's mate, Ami. "They're mobilizing."

"We don't have much time before they will be upon us," Lord Karasaya agreed.

Her father nodded. "Go Ryomi."

"You have a battle plan ready?" another of the dog demons said. It was Takahiro, a fierce dog demon warrior.

"We'll discuss it as soon as Rin joins us." The demon lord turned to Ryomi. "I won't repeat myself again. Go Ryomi."

She inwardly frowned. She wasn't ready to leave her father. She wanted to hug him goodbye, but didn't want to show any disrespect in front of the dog demons. The girl decided to give him a bow instead. She stood back up tall. "Good luck Father."

He showed no emotion on his face, but Ryomi caught the emotion in his eyes. The demon gave her a short nod. "And to you. Go now," he said gently. She nodded and rushed back toward the castle.

**This chapter was getting long, so I decided to split it in two. Another will be coming soon...**

**Thanks for all the reviews so far!**

**P.S. If it deletes my section breaks again, I'm sorry. I know it can be confusing when the point of view suddenly changes. Anyone have a suggestion for what to use for a section break that won't be deleted other than typing (section break)?**


	4. Defeated and Broken

This is a sequel to _Forever with Lord Sesshomaru._ I suggest you read that story first to get caught up, but this one can be a stand alone...

Summary: Kagome discovers that when you time travel things can get pretty messed up. A story about twisting time lines and family Kagome never knew she had in the modern era. How can she have a half demon for a niece? Set in all times and eras and back again. SxR mostly.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any characters from Inuyasha. Any original characters, please don't reuse.

**Chapter 4**

**Defeated and Broken**

**Feudal Era – 1574**

Itoh took one last look over his troops. "Prepare to move out towards Shouhei. You are the strongest and the best trained. If any one is going to down these demons, it will be us!" He half-expected his men to cheer, but only a few smiled. The rest stood still waiting for orders. Itoh inwardly smiled, proud of their response. _My men are more than warriors, they are weapons. _

"Commander Itoh!"

He turned as a young soldier came up and bowed. "The General wants to speak to you."

The commander nodded. "Remain here men. I will return." He followed the messenger back towards the rear of the camp. They neared the general's tent, and Itoh noticed it was being packed up. General Watanabe sat at a table drinking a cup of tea.

The large man looked up and motioned for Itoh to sit at the chair across from him. The commander wondered how his superior officer earned his position. He definitely was out of shape. "Itoh, I wanted to share some information with you."

"Yes General?" 

The large man leaned over and smiled. "I've been watching your soldiers. I am quite impressed."

"Thank you Sir."

He leaned back and took a sip of his cup. "If anyone is going to defeat Sesshomaru, it will be your men." Itoh raised an eyebrow surprised. It was a compliment. "So, I wanted to share a piece of information with you. You see...Sesshomaru has a weakness."

"A weakness? How did you discover this?" He hoped it was more than demon superstition. _I don't trust anything that those so-called priests tell us._

"The story is that Sesshomaru made some enemies when he chose to marry a human woman." He smiled again, an action that drew attention to his double chin. "They have discovered this bit of information and spread the word. They want to see him fall as much as our lord does."

"What weakness could the lord of the dog demons have?"

"Technically, he controls more than just the dog demons, but that's not important." He took another drink from his cup. "Apparently Sesshomaru's wife is over eighty years old, but she appears to be no older than a woman of twenty-five." Itoh had heard this rumor before. _Very unlikely._ "The rumor is that this is possible because she has a way of using Sesshomaru's demonic powers to keep her from aging. She also is a fierce warrior who is said to be invincible in battle."

"I'm sorry Sir, but my men are waiting. How is this a weakness for the dog demon?"

The large man frowned in annoyance. "She is invincible because she pulls from Sesshomaru's power. You see, any injury she takes, Sesshomaru's powers weaken because she needs them to heal herself."

Itoh suddenly understood. "If we fatally wound the woman, Sesshomaru would be easy to defeat."

General Watanabe nodded. "Don't kill her too soon though. It may not work if you do."

"Understood."

"So Commander, when Sesshomaru and his wife, Rin, reach Shouhei, make sure you're ready. That distraction at Shinakio won't give you much time to eliminate the Shouhei demons before they arrive."

"Are you sure they will be together?"

"All reports on the pair indicate that when one of the villages under their control fall under attack, they are there to protect their people. They will both show up at Shouhei. I guarantee it."

Commander Itoh stood. "Then we will be off. Good luck with taking the castle General." He gave a bow and then headed back to his troops. Things were beginning to look up. "Men," he got their attention as he neared. "You have a new goal once we reach Shouhei. We kill all the demons we find and then lay in wait to ambush Sesshomaru. Once we see them, we attack the lady Rin."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Rin walked into the Great Hall. She was still shaken after sending away her children. _No mother should have to do that._ She entered the room and looked for her mate. _There must be over twenty dog-demons here. Thank you Karasaya. _She saw Sesshomaru standing near the front of the room with Karasaya and Isas. She walked up to hear them discussing battle strategies.

"If we surround them, perhaps we can take out more of their men," Karasaya suggested.

"I would stick together," Isas responded. "Attack as a unified source."

"Do you think they will have archers? That's my only concern with fighting in our demon forms," Ami said from beside Karasaya. Rin was actually surprised the demoness was there. She wasn't much of a fighter.

Sesshomaru looked back and forth between each speaker as they argued the plan. Rin watched him. The demon lord finally looked over to her and raised his eyebrows. She didn't respond, so he turned to Isas. "Make up two groups each with four demons. They will attack any archers that are spotted. The rest will stand together to give each other support."

"What of Rin?" Karasaya asked. He turned to look at her and then back to Sesshomaru.

Rin looked towards her mate to find him watching her. "I prefer to fight with my sword. Rin and I will stand together." He looked away. "Put together your teams Isas; we don't have much time." He turned towards the rest of the crowd gathered in the room. "Prepare for battle. Notify Isas if you are in need of anything," he said in a louder voice. "We have a few hours at the most." The demon walked towards the door and Rin followed him.

"Sesshomaru?"

"Follow me," he simply responded. She followed him up the stairs and down the north hallway. He slid open the door to their quarters and waited for her to enter. The demon slid the door close behind them and looked over towards her. They stood silent for a few moments. Sesshomaru finally spoke, "They're gone?" Rin nodded assuming he was talking about their children. The demon reached for her and pulled her into his arms. She leaned into his chest feeling the comfort of his warm body. "They are safe. We have another task that requires our attention now."

She nodded. "I'm ready to fight Sesshomaru. These bastards are the same ones that would have killed my children. They'll see no mercy from me."

He gave her rare smile. "Hn. I'm very found of you when you speak like that."

Rin laughed into his chest. "I wish we had the time..." she said flirting with him.

The demon lord's smile disappeared, and he pushed her back. "If only." He let out a soft sigh. "Fetch your armor Rin. We must hurry." She didn't move but watched his eyes. There was a lot there that he wasn't saying.

"You're worried?"

The demon narrowed his eyes. "Do you doubt our strength?"

"Do you?"she countered.

"Ridiculous. No number of humans will be able to stand against us."

She smiled. "Then let's go and finish this. I want my babies home before nightfall."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Ryomi looked around her as AhUn landed in the mountain home of the dog demons. There were a few dog demons gathered there waiting for them. She didn't miss the fact that Daitaro was among them. Ken, who was sitting behind her, wiggled down AhUn's back and onto the floor. "Let me hold Genkei for you Princess," one of the dog demonesses named Rei said from beside her. She was Takahiro's mate, and Ryomi knew her to be a kind soul. She handed her baby brother down to her. The toddler had fussed the whole trip there, and Ryomi was ready to pass him on.

"Here, allow me to assist you Princess," Shiori's guard, Kazuya, said to her holding out his hands. Ryomi released her grip on her younger sister sitting in front of her, and the girl was lowered to the ground with the aid of her guard. Ryomi slid down the dragon demon's back to find Daitaro standing beside her.

"Accommodations have been made for you already," Rei said. She bounced Genkei up and down trying to get him to quiet. "Follow me."

"We'll bring your bags," Katsutoshi said. Ryomi nodded and followed after the demoness.

"How long do you think we'll stay here?" Kenchiro asked.

"I do not know," Rei responded, "but we will do our best to make you comfortable while you are here."

Ry looked down as Shiori grabbed her hand. "I want to go back to Mother," the girl said.

"We have to stay here for now."

"Don't worry Shio," Daitaro said from behind her. "Emiko is here. I'm sure she'll love to have a playmate for a while. The two of you will have lots of fun." Ryomi narrowed her eyes at him. She really didn't want to be around the demon at the moment.

"Excuse me Lord Daitaro, but I believe the ladies need some time to rest. Perhaps they can play later, but for now, please excuse them," Yemon said in a cold tone. He pushed past Daitaro and followed close behind Ryomi.

She glanced over her shoulder to see Daitaro frown and then turn away. She inwardly smiled. "Thanks Yemon."

"No problem. I know he pissed you off earlier."

She narrowed her eyes. "How do you-"

"He _pissed_ on you?" Shio asked in a surprised tone.

Ry couldn't help but giggle. "No, he just made me mad. Don't worry about it. Boys can be stupid sometimes. Right Yemon?"

"Of course My Lady," he said with a sly smile.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Commander Itoh stood by the well in the middle of Shouhei Village. _Something isn't right. _He and his men had successfully taken the village without a fight. The priestess who had come with them was able to make a...mist that could dull the demons' senses. The demons didn't see them coming. _Hear nor smell us either..._ They had completed their task as instructed and waited for the arrival of the dog demon, Sesshomaru. General Watanabe had predicted that he would come to the demon village's aid. So far he hadn't shown up though. The commander looked at the priestess standing over her large pot. The smoke pouring forth rolled out of the kettle and spread across the ground. "Do you sense any demonic aura?" he asked her.

The priestess shook her head. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders as she did. The woman was fairly attractive he noted to himself. "This whole place reeks of the demons' presence, but I do not specifically sense someone of Sesshomaru's power." The commander inwardly frowned. _I wonder if she could tell the difference in his presence anyways._ He waited there as his men brought reports that they had successfully terminated all the demons living in the village. _I can't help but consider this a failure if Sesshomaru never arrives._

"Commander Itoh!" a voice called through the mist. A horse approached them, and Itoh recognized the same messenger who had come to him earlier from General Watanabe. "General Watanabe is recalling you and your men back. He wants Priestess Saika to come also."

"We haven't completed our goal yet."

"There's been a change in plans sir. Our scouts report that Lord Sesshomaru never left his castle. There was no sign of him during the attack on Shinakio either."

Itoh narrowed his eyes. _So the general was wrong. _"Make haste men! We're rejoining the main group. Help the priestess with her equipment. We still have a demon lord to slay."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Sesshomaru." Rin motioned to him to join her. The woman was tying up her hair when she walked out onto their balcony. He followed her out there when she called and immediately caught scent of what she wanted him to look at. Smoke was coming out of the forest to the north. _Shinakio._ The demon looked down at his mate's face. The setting sun cast an orange glow across her angry frown. He knew she felt guilty about not going to help them.

"They will answer to us for their actions. We will stop this invasion here."

"Let's hope so," Rin said softly. She turned to him and set a hand upon his breastplate. "Let's go. They'll be here soon." She began to walk back into their room.

"Companion." The human woman turned back to look at him. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Where is the child who showed no fear? After witnessing all the creatures I've defeated, you show fear at a pack of humans?"

She smiled. "No My Lord, I haven't lost any faith in your strength...especially after last night." He raised his eyebrows at the suggestive comment and inwardly smiled. "I just..." she paused and sighed. She shook her head. "You're right. We're going to end this here!" Sesshomaru inwardly smiled at her determination. _The human woman with the ferocity of a demon..._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Yemon walked through the rocky corridor towards the cave's entrance. There were many caves that lead into the heart of the mountain where the dog demons' sanctuary was. This particular cave though had a half-demon that he wanted to talk to sitting at its entrance.

"What? I think of all places, here is one place you don't have to watch me," Ryomi said shortly without turning to look at him.

Yemon frowned. "Your father has many enemies, even among the dog demons." He walked up next to her and sat down.

"Heh, just leave me alone damn it. I'm perfectly fine here." She turned to glare at him. Her bright golden eyes mirrored the look her father gave when he was about to severely punish someone. _She's enough like Lord Sesshomaru that she may decide she's tired of me. I don't think she has enough guts to be that cruel and physically harm me though. _

"Shut up," he responded. Her eyes widened. "I didn't come here as your guard, I came as your friend. I wanted to make sure you were all right. Geez, Ry settle down."

"Friend? What kind of 'friend' comes to 'check on you' and then acts like an ass?"

"Hey, Daitaro basically told you that you weren't good enough for him, and you're still swooning over him!"

"Bastard!" A rock came out of nowhere, and Yemon barely had the time to dodge it. He felt it bounce off the wall behind his ear. _Damn she's fast!_ The half-demon woman turned away from him and looked out of the cave. He turned to look down at the view. They were sitting at the edge of the cave entrance and were high enough that miles of the forest below were visible. It was an impressive sight as the sun was setting down over the trees.

He looked back at Ryomi. Her face showed no emotion, but he could see it in her body. She was breathing heavily, and her hands were tightened into fists. _She's pissed._ He inwardly sighed. "Look. I'm sorry." She didn't respond. He frowned. "I'm oh so sorry great and magnificent Princess Ryomi. Please accept my humblest and most sincere apologies. I will die of shame if you do not forgive me," he said sarcastically.

She looked over at him and rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

He chuckled. "Really, I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to sit down here and sulk over Daitaro. He can be an arrogant jerk at times."

"And you aren't?" She smiled. Yemon paused. He had to admit the princess was very attractive. "Stay out of my business. Besides, I wasn't even thinking about him."

"Your parents?"

The young-woman sighed. "They should have let me go with them. I'm more than capable of fighting," she said. "They could of used you too Yemon."

He shrugged. "Maybe they could have used me. You're right: you don't need a guard here. As for you...experience and knowledge are two different things. You've never gone to battle." She rolled her eyes. "Besides, you still can't beat your mother in a duel." 

"Shut-up guard!" she growled. She turned away angry again.

Yemon inwardly chastised himself. He didn't want to tick her off, he _had_ intended to offer any friendship and comforting she needed. He had grown up a guard. It was an honor to be given to the demon lord's house as a guard as soon as you were old enough to walk. He was the youngest of Lord Sesshomaru's personal guards, so the others didn't always take him seriously. When he was assigned as Princess Ryomi's guard, some of the others questioned the decision. _Hell, I did too._ He was glad that the demon lord had given him the assignment though. Ryomi was one of the few people who gave him the time of day. He was meant to only be her shadow, but she had always treated him as more...even as a friend. He looked back over to her. Her eyes were closed. "They'll be fine," Yemon said. "Your parents are very powerful." She turned her head and pushed her hair back over her shoulders. The action reflected the setting sun's warm hues in her silver hair.

"Didn't I tell you to shut-up?" The dog demon sighed but didn't reply.

Yemon leaned back against the cave wall. The pair sat silent for a moment, and he thought about what he was going to say to her. _I might as well just leave her alone._ "I didn't mean to insult you. I'll go if you want." She didn't respond, so he began to stand up.

"How do you know what Daitaro said?" she asked quietly.

He frowned and settled back down onto the stone floor. "I asked him why you were mad, so he told me," Yemon said. "I called him an idiot."

She half smiled. "Thanks."

"I consider him as a common enemy. Next time we see him, I'll hold him, and you can punch him. We can claim he was trying to come onto you."

Ryomi let out a small giggle. "Alright." She frowned and looked over at him. "This doesn't get repeated you know!" He nodded. "And you don't have to show me any sympathy! He's an ass, and I'm not upset about it."

Yemon raised an eyebrow. He was surprised at her words. "Strong words Princess." He smiled. "That's good. I hate when women harbor some belief that their asshole boyfriend can change with time. If he really cared about you, he wouldn't care that you're a half-demon. It's not like he's the only heir to the dog demon clan."

She nodded. "Yeah. It's funny how you think you know someone, and then it turns out that they aren't what you thought they were."

"Yeah," Yemon said. "Don't worry. I'll always be here – same old Yemon." He gave her a smile. She smiled back and then turned away. _Yeah, she's not really over it..._ He inwardly sighed. "Uh, what I said earlier...about not having experience... What I meant to say was...it's because...it's not because you're a half-demon that your mom can beat you. I mean..." He sighed. _What the hell am I trying to __say? _"That doesn't make sense. Let me start over." Ryomi raised an eyebrow. "You're strong, and it doesn't matter if you're a half-demon. Your parents are powerful, and it takes someone really powerful to beat them."

"I know. Besides, _you_ can't beat Mother in a duel either," she taunted him with a smile.

"What? Who told you that?" Yemon tried to keep from looking embarrassed, but he felt his cheeks warming up.

Ryomi laughed. "Mom did."

He frowned. "Go figure." The demon leaned back against the wall. "I just wanted you to know that I don't think you're weak because you're a half-demon."

"Thanks," she replied. "Do you think they'll defeat the Edo army?"

He shrugged. "A bunch of humans against a bunch of dog demons. I don't see how we could lose."

She nodded. "Yeah." It was silent between them for a while as they watched the sun disappear. "Thanks for the company," Ry finally said. She stood up. "I'm gonna go check on the others."

Yemon stood. "Uh, yeah. Anytime. I'll walk back with you."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"I don't expect any of you to fight. If any of the Edo soldiers make their way into the castle, run. Get out of here. If they get this far, the castle is doomed anyways. We can rebuild a building; I can't get you back." Rin looked over the castle's staff. She had become close friends with many of them. Sesshomaru had gone ahead to give his final commands to the dog demon warriors, so she decided to do the same with her servants.

"Of course Lady Rin," Ori, the castle's purchaser and seamstress, replied. "But I have no doubts that our Lord will keep them at bay." Rin smiled.

"Forgive me My Lady, but shouldn't you remain in the castle with us?" the castle's cook, Ine, asked. "I know you're a strong fighter, but to risk your life-"

"I'm going Ine. No argument." The dog demon cook nodded sadly.

Ami stepped closer and gave the human woman a hug. "Good luck Rin. Please be careful." She smiled.

"I will Ami." Rin gave her a smile and turned towards the great room. Sesshomaru was just coming her way. She waited at the door until he neared. She saw him glance down at her as he passed. The woman followed close behind her mate as they exited the castle and walked east towards the flat land there. _The Edo army will have to come through the forest to engage us here. That's bound to slow them down._

She paused as Sesshomaru stopped in front of her. Isas was waiting there. "My Lord," Isas addressed them, "Our scouts have indicated the the army will be emerging from that forest any time now. I also have reports that some of the men are carrying unknown weapons. We'll have to watch for them."

"What type of weapons?" Karasaya asked from beside Rin.

Isas shook his head. "I don't know what they're designed to do, but reports say they're made of steal but rounded like a stick. They're not sharpened to a point like a sword."

"Rifles," Sesshomaru responded. "I've seen them before. Be cautious. It can do more damage than an arrow, but is still not enough to kill a demon." He glanced behind him at Rin. She saw concern in his eyes. "Have your teams focus on them Isas. Warn them that it will be dangerous."

"Yes My Lord."

"You still want to take point?" Karasaya asked. "They'll be focusing on you then."

"No changes to the plan," the demon lord replied. "Now we wait." He turned back towards the forest in the distance. Rin inwardly frowned. The anticipation was killing her. It felt like her heart was going to pound out of her chest. _This is it._ She took a deep breath. _Even if I die in this battle, I've saved my children. That means I've already been victorious. _The woman smiled. The thought helped chase away her jitters. "They approach," Sesshomaru said. Rin strained her eyes, but didn't see anyone.

After a few moments, Rin finally saw figures moving towards them. She had no idea how many men there were, but the coming line of men covered the whole width of the grass field. Sesshomaru moved forward with a speed that only a demon had. "Good luck My Lord," Rin whispered after him. The rest of the dog demons remained behind beside her. They were to wait until the army was moving passed Sesshomaru. _If __**any**__ make it pass him..._ She watched as the Edo soldiers and her mate moved towards one another. The dog demon stopped, and she could see him unsheathe his sword, Raisaiga.

Sesshomaru's voice bellowed across the wind. "Dragon Strike!"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Kami help us." The field before them lit up with lightening. Bodies and dirt flew up from the ground ahead of them. The smell of charred flesh and the screams of the soldiers were overwhelming.

Commander Itoh frowned at the outburst among his men. "Be silent." He didn't need his men to give up before they even went into battle.

"How do we fight something like that?"

"We don't," Itoh replied sharply. "Remember, we wait until we're given the order to proceed. We don't go in until the demons have been subdued." He looked to his left at the priestess. They were still inside of the tree line, protected within the forest. Priestess Saika stood there with her eyes closed and hands folded. The large pot in front of her was beginning to steam. _She had better hurry._

"Are you ready Priestess?" General Watanabe called out. He sat upon his horse further back in the forest. Itoh could barely make out his figure. _If he wasn't so fat, he'd be even harder to spot._

The priestess opened her eyes and stood straight. "Yes General." She lifted her arms and then pushed forward. In response, the steam poured forth from the kettle and headed out of the forest towards the demons. Itoh moved closer to the tree line so he could see across the field. _Now let's see what Sesshomaru can do._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

At first, Karasaya thought the cloud moving towards them was dust from Lord Sesshomaru's attack. He quickly changed his mind as it continued to move closer. He grabbed Rin's arm. "Lady Rin, move back!"

"What is that?" the woman called out. She moved back beside him. They weren't quick enough though. The mist moved over them like a tidal wave. Karasaya reflexively crouched down and covered his face with his arm. The mist burned his nose and eyes and tasted bitter to his mouth.

"What witchery is this?" he heard Takahiro yell from behind him.

"What is it?" Rin asked. Karasaya looked up to see she appeared to be fine. She was looking down at him. "Karasaya? What's wrong?"

"It doesn't affect you?" The woman shook her head. The demon suddenly felt sick. _No, this isn't witchery...it's a spiritual attack._

"Get above it," he heard Isas yell to his right. He saw him transform into his larger demon form.

"Stay back Rin," Karasaya said as he followed after Isas.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"There Sir!" one of the men standing near General Watanabe called out. Itoh looked up to where he was pointing. One of the dog demons had transformed into his larger form and was standing high above the mist.

"Is that Sesshomaru?" one of his men, Jien, asked from beside him.

Itoh shook his head. This dog demon had a deep gray coat "No, Sesshomaru is white with a crescent moon on his forehead."

Jien turned to look at him. "So, you're saying Sesshomaru is even larger that that?"

"No idea. Most likely."

"You have your target!" General Watanabe yelled from his position. Itoh watched as the soldiers manning the cannons turned the great barrels towards the dog demon. "Fire on any demons that you see!" Itoh caught sight of him moving closer. Watanabe looked straight at him. "Send in the demon slayers to finish them off."

"Yes Sir."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Sesshomaru watched as the mist flowed around him. He instantly knew what was happening. _They are trying to dull our senses._ He looked at the field in front of him. The soldiers coming towards at him were harder to detect now. _It makes no difference._ "Dragon Strike!" He swung the Raisaiga out towards the forest. A surge of lightening flowed through the mist ahead of him. The great demon didn't know how much damage he did, but he knew it would slow them down.

"Sesshomaru! Sesshomaru!" He paused as he heard Rin's voice some ways behind him. _Does this mist affect her too?_ He turned to find his mate a few feet behind him. The shock must have been evident on his face. _It's dulling my senses more than I thought._ The woman's eyes opened wide. "What is it? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"I guess it doesn't affect me. The rest are trying to get above it. Karasaya looked like he was going to be sick."

The demon lord nodded. "Stay with me. We'll keep the army back as the others recover."

"Should we go try to stop it at the source?" Rin asked. Sesshomaru looked her over. The fierce determination she had in battle had replace her earlier fear. She made a valid point. This would slow his warriors down. _I don't know if the effects will be greater as we approach the source, and I won't send her in alone._

"Not yet. I don't wish to move into the forest until I know what is hiding there." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. The Edo soldiers had stopped. _They're planning something. _"Let's move in closer." He began to walk towards the forest and saw that Rin was following close beside him.

Suddenly a loud bang echoed across the field. He heard a loud roar to his right. _Isas. _"This way Rin." He headed towards his friend.

"What is it? What was that sound?" He ignored her questions and continued to move across the field. He stopped cold as he found Isas. The dog demon was in his smaller form hunched over on the ground. He was kneeling down with his arms across his chest. The smell of his blood was strong. "Isas!" Rin yelled as she saw him. She rushed towards the dog demon and knelt down beside him. "What happened? Are you alright?"

Another bang sounded through the mist. _They are picking off my warriors one by one!_ Sesshomaru felt anger begin to build in his chest. As Isas pushed himself up, the extent of his injury could be seen. The anger quickly turned to rage. His chest had a large wound; the flesh look like it had been burnt had someone began to peel it off of his chest. Sesshomaru noticed that his mate had to turn away from the sight.

"Something hit me. My fur caught fire and..." He took a deep breath. It obviously brought him pain. "Forgive me for my weakness My Lord. This mist clouds my mind. I couldn't dodge it."

"Don't waste your strength on apologizing. Rin, stay with him." Sesshomaru transformed into his larger form. He grew until he was well above the mist. _Let them target me!_ He let out a loud roar to draw attention to himself. He quickly identified the location in the forest where the mist was coming from. Another bang suddenly sounded, and Sesshomaru saw the weapon making the sound. It looked like a large version of the rifles he has seen before. He easily dodged the small object coming towards him. _That is the best you can offer me? Pathetic._ The dog demon jumped towards the weapon in the forest.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Itoh split his men up and sent them after the demons. _They are easy to kill in this weakened state. Most don't have the power left to even stay awake._ His group of six slayers stumbled across a female dog demon laying on the ground. The commander took his sword and quickly separated her head from her body. _And they say demons are the most powerful force in these lands... _ He heard another roar to his left. "Move that way. They must have hit another one of the demons!"

He stopped quickly in his tracks as another dog demon grew in front of them. This one's true demon form was gigantic. "Commander!" Jien yelled from behind him.

"It's Sesshomaru," he said quietly. He couldn't see the demon's face through the mist, but he had no doubt that it was the demon lord. It let out a loud growl and disappeared in a leap. _He must be heading towards the forest._ He fought the urge to chase after the demon. "Our objective if Sesshomaru's wife. She must be nearby."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Rin helped Isas to his feet. "Thank you Lady Rin. Don't worry. It will heal."

"I know. I'm worried about the others who aren't as strong as you." _How many others have been hit?_ She strained her eyes to look through the mist but couldn't see anything. She heard another bang. _Hurry Sesshomaru. _She turned her head as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. "Isas?"

"I saw it." The dog demon stepped closer to her and began to look around. Rin held up her sword, Bakusaiga, in her right hand. She drew her other sword, Kiryoku, and held it in her left and stood alert ready for an attack. "Down!" Isas yelled.

Rin dropped to the ground as a knife on a chain flew over her head. She rolled away and back up to her feet to see a man come out of the mist towards Isas. The dog demon may have been injured, but he was still fast. He jumped towards the man, spun around the soldier and sunk his claws into the human's back. She saw movement to her right and swung Bakusaiga. The blade let out a green burst of energy accompanied by a loud rumbling as it cut down two more of the men. "Nice job My Lady." She turned to see Isas looking towards her. He was holding his chest once again.

"Isas, you should find somewhere to rest."

"I'm fine." Rin frowned at the obvious lie. She looked up as a shadow appeared behind Isas jumping out of the mist. She opened her mouth to warn him, but she was too late. The man swung a large sword down cutting through her demon friend from his right shoulder down to his left hip.

"ISAS!" The woman ran towards his murderer her and swung both of her swords. The wave of energy flowing from them cut the soldier in half. "Isas..." She took a step back looking down at the demon's corpse. He was gone. _No, not Isas. _She stood there frozen. She couldn't take her eyes off of him.

"Grab her!" Suddenly, she felt both of her arms being grabbed, and she was thrown backwards onto the ground. "Pin her down." A man jumped on top of her and another grabbed her wrists. Her arms were twisted and pinned to the ground above her head. The man above her used his knees to pin her legs down.

"Let go of me!" Rin yelled at him.

The human man's face was hidden by a mask, but she could see his blue eyes. They held the same cold look that Sesshomaru's did in battle. "Forgive me, but this is the only way we'll be able to defeat your husband." The man placed his left hand on her chest armor, and she saw a knife in his right.

_Sesshomaru!_ Terror grabbed her, and she struggled to get free. "If you harm me in any way, know that you won't leave this place alive!" she shrieked.

"I'm not afraid to die for my lord," the man responded. He plunged the small knife into her chest above her armor. Rin screamed in pain and clenched her eyes shut. _Help me Sesshomaru..._

"Commander, it's not working."

She opened her eyes and looked up at the man through her tears. He was looking down at the wound. "I thought you were able to heal yourself," he said angrily.

The woman closed her eyes again. _So they know my secret...that I'm connected to Sesshomaru. _She had dropped her swords when they forced her to the ground, and Bakusaiga was out of her reach. _It's better for me to die than to put Sesshomaru in danger. _She gasped as it was getting harder for her to breathe. The taste of her own blood was bitter in her mouth, and she felt herself slipping away. _Good luck my love. I can die peacefully knowing I saved my children._ Suddenly, she felt a power surge through her body.

"That's it!" the man yelled above her. "It's healing!" Rin felt Bakusaiga sitting in her hands. _No, Sesshomaru!_ She wrapped her fingers around the sword's hilt. She clenched her teeth as anger replaced her fear. With speed and strength greater than any normal human's, she ripped her hands free and stuck Bakusaiga in the chest of the man above her. She pushed him off and spun around in a sitting position. The soldier behind her was moving to stand. Rin sliced through his midsection before he was fully upright. His body fell in front of her in two pieces. She quickly got to her feet and picked up Kiryoku. _I have to get to Sesshomaru_.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The great dog demon pounced down on top of the soldiers operating the large cannons. Saika reflexively took a step back. _He's gigantic. _It was a strange oxymoron to her: that demons could be so beautiful yet so evil. The soldiers ran away as Sesshomaru toppled one of the cannons off of its wheels. The beast let out a growl and spit a green substance down onto the second cannon. The men standing nearby yelled out. _A poison? _The priestess looked behind her as General Watanabe began to yell orders. _What am I supposed to do?_ Currently the general showed no interest in her. She looked back up at the demon as he continued to kill the soldiers standing just outside of the tree line. 

_Have I failed? Why hasn't the steam stopped Sesshomaru? Does it not affect him?_ She watched in terror as the dog demon continued to finish off the soldiers standing a few meters in front of her. Suddenly he began to shrink, and Saika strained her eyes to see the humanoid form of the dog demon. He drew his sword and held it up. Fear suddenly gripped her. _He's coming after me next! _She ducked down behind her kettle. _I can't stay here. He'll find me here. Kami help me. _She looked around and decided to run further into the trees.

She froze as the air around her suddenly heated up. The wind picked up, and the steam flowing from her pot suddenly changed direction blowing back into the forest. The air sizzled and crackled. She couldn't see anything because of the steam surrounding her, so she closed her eyes. _Is this wind coming from Sesshomaru? _After a few seconds, it stopped. She opened her eyes and looked around her. Many of the trees were smoldering; others were on fire. The priestess glanced around the pot. Sesshomaru still stood there. The trees closest to him had fallen over and some had been reduced to ashes. Her whole body began to shake in fear. _He's the devil himself._ She watched terrified as the demon transformed once again into his large demon form.

"Protect the general!" Saika turned around at the voice. A group of soldiers ran passed her towards Sesshomaru. _Now._ She didn't waste any time. The priestess ran towards the trees. After seeing the demon lord's last attack, she knew the trees wouldn't offer much protection, but it was better than sitting out in the open. She climbed up one of the trees and stepped out onto a low branch. The woman took off her bow and sat down on the branch next to the trunk. _We're all going to die here..._

She couldn't take her eyes off of Sesshomaru. She could sense his demonic power. _Never have I witnessed such a powerful being._ The great dog demon easily crushed the men attacking him. Saika couldn't help but watch the horrific scene. Suddenly the large dog let out a loud growl. She narrowed her eyes. _It sounds like he's in pain._ He spit another pool of poison onto the remaining men at his feet and then began to shrink down into his smaller form. He sank down to his knees. Saika held very still afraid he would see her. _Is the mist working? Has it weakened him?_ The dog demon suddenly swung his right hand towards the kettle; it sat a few feet away from him. The pot suddenly fell in two pieces to the ground. _How did he do that?_ The remaining steam flowed out from the broken pot and dissolved into the air. Nothing moved, not even Sesshomaru. He remained on his knees crouched over. He propped himself up with his right hand and his left rested on his chest. _Was he injured? _The woman looked down at the bow in her hands. She had been instructed in the spiritual arts. She slowly stood up on the branch. The demon didn't turn to look at her, so she continued to slowly move. The priestess drew an arrow out of her quiver and nocked it into the bow. She shakily pulled back the string. _Let this spiritual arrow fly straight. Kami guide its flight._ She released it. The arrow flew with a purple glow and struck Sesshomaru in his left shoulder. _It hit!_ The demon let out a cry that was partly a scream, partly a growl.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Rin ran towards the trees as fast as she could. She no longer felt any pain from the wound in her chest. She reached up and touched the spot with her left hand. _It's completely healed. _She frowned. _What effect did it have on Sesshomaru? _The mist was thicker the closer she got to the forest. More than once, she stumbled over the corpse of one of her demon friends. _The mist put them to sleep, so the humans had no trouble killing them. How many of our warriors are left?_ The thought caused the woman's chest to tighten. She took a deep breath. _Now isn't the time to mourn the lost; I have to get to __Sesshomaru. _She broke through the mist and found herself at the edge of the treeline. Her eyes widened at the sight. Trees were strewn about, some smoking. Rin knew that it had to be Sesshomaru's doing. She ran further into the forest and finally saw his figure through the haze. "Sesshomaru!"

Her mate was fighting back a group of the human soldiers. He was moving slowly; very slowly for a demon. The woman ran closer and cut through two men so she could get to her demon lord. She glanced at his face, but couldn't catch his eyes. She didn't have much time to look him over though. Rin quickly turned around to fight off another soldier that came up behind her. She felt Sesshomaru's back against hers. Some of his white hair fell down over her shoulders. "You were injured?" his voice came near over her left shoulder.

"I'm fine," she said sourly. They both knew what her healing cost him. "Are you alright?"

She felt him step away. Rin took a step forward as another man moved into strike at her. She side-stepped to her left and spun around. She sliced downward across his back. As his body began to fall, she pushed it into another warrior coming towards her. He fell backwards, and Rin stepped forward to cut him down. She turned to her right to see another heading towards Sesshomaru's back. She lunged for him and stabbed the man in the back with Bakusaiga.

The dog demon looked over his shoulder at her. "Watch for the priestess. I do not know the direction she is hiding in." The woman's heart skipped a beat as she got the chance to look over her mate's face. He was obviously tired. _This priestess has him worried?_ The demon looked away from her and stepped to his left to slice through another attacker.

Rin gasped when she saw his left shoulder. There was a huge hole in the skin going all the way down to the bone. The fabric on his sleeve looked like it had been burned away. "Sesshomaru!" He turned his eyes back at her without turning his head. He took a step towards her pivoting around to face her. "What happened to your shoulder?"

Without an answer his left hand flew towards her. She let out a startled cry as he pushed on her breastplate and sent her falling backwards. As she began to fall she felt his left hand move to catch her back. His right arm and Raisaiga extended over her head. The woman tipped her head further back and watched the upside down scene of Raisaiga's lightening attack cutting down another eight soldiers coming towards them. She looked back up at her mate as she felt herself being pulled up to her feet. Once again she felt nothing but awe for her demon lover. "Watch for the priestess," he repeated only a few inches from her face. He released her and turned around. She spun around and continued to fight the warriors coming at her. _Is everyone else dead? Is the rest of the army coming after Sesshomaru and I alone?_

The pair continued to fight back to back for what felt like eternity. More and more men slowly trickled into the forest from the field. As more and more men came at them, Rin begin to grow more and more panicked. _They've killed everyone else...there's no one left...how long can Sesshomaru and I last?_ She kept looking at the trees searching for the priestess. She assumed the hole in her mate's arm was the result of the priestess attacking Sesshomaru once already. The woman was growing tired though and she could tell her attacks were getting weaker and weaker. Suddenly, she heard something hit the ground behind her. She turned to look as a cloud of smoke grew around them. _No, not smoke...this is more of that mist. _"My Lord?" she spun around towards Sesshomaru fearing for his safety. She moved in front of him to look him over.

The demon was crouching down with his left arm covering his eyes. He looked up at her; his golden eyes squinted into narrow slits. "Heh," he coughed. "It came from that direction," he said; his voice sounded gruff and strained. He nodded towards the trees, and Rin looked in that direction. It was hard to spot anything through the mist. She glanced around her. Luckily, the men had back away for a moment. The hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood up. _Why are they backing away when Sesshomaru has been weakened? Wouldn't they attack? _She looked back at her mate. "Can you move?"

"DOWN RIN!" The demon forcefully pushed her away from him. Rin stumbled and fell. She quickly turned to look at Sesshomaru just as a flash of purple hit him.

"Sesshomaru!" Her mate fell backwards and hit the ground stirring up the dust and mist around him. The world seemed to stop. The demon lord didn't move. _No...NO!_ The woman jumped up and moved towards him. She fell down and knelt beside him. "Sesshomaru?" His eyes were closed. Rin looked down at his chest. A large hole and formed in his chest just above his breastplate. "You...you've been hurt worse before. Come on." Her voice sounded shaky in her ears. Truthfully, she didn't feel assured herself by her words. "Let's go. We have to get out of here so you can recover," she cried.

The demon's eyes slowly opened. "A sacred arrow. Heh, I'm not finished yet," he said weakly. "You will have to protect yourself at the moment."

"Sesshoma-"

"Get up Rin," he said in a stronger, stern voice. "They're behind you." She slowly nodded. Reluctantly, the woman stood up and picked up her swords. _Now, __**I'll**__ protect __**you**__. _ Rin stood firm beside her lord. The mist was beginning to fade once again, and she could see the warriors moving in towards them again. _There are still so many of them._ "Bakusaiga!" She crossed her swords in front of her and swung them outwards. The combined power of Bakusaiga and Kiryoku sent out a wave of blue-green energy cutting through the ranks of soldiers standing in front of her. With an anger and ferocity that came from having her family attacked and just being close to exhaustion, Rin continued to fight the men coming towards her. She glanced over her shoulder as she saw movement behind her. Sesshomaru had stood up and was fighting the men behind them with his poison whip. _Hold on my love._

A movement to her left caught her eye. Rin turned to see a round object coming at them. She frowned as she recognized it as pottery. _What is-? _She moved to knock it away from them but wasn't quick enough. It shattered on the ground a feet away and another explosion of the mist engulfed them. She heard Sesshomaru growl in frustration. The woman moved towards her mate. "Stay low," she commanded him. He sank down to his knees. She wildly searched around her looking for a warning of another spiritual attack directed at the demon lord. The woman saw two men come through the mist towards her. She took a step away from Sesshomaru and attacked the two men. She had no problem cutting each of them down. _Pathetic_, she thought bitterly. She suddenly heard a cry from Sesshomaru.

She spun around to see a woman standing beside him. She held a dagger pulsing with a blue energy; the dagger was stuck into Sesshomaru's right shoulder near his collarbone. She was dressed in the garb of a priestess and looked to be fairly young. _He's too weak to fight back. _The woman caught Rin's eyes. For a split second both of them stood staring at each other. The priestess suddenly pulled the dagger from the demon's shoulder and pushed him backwards with her left hand. He fell backwards to the ground. An anger surged through Rin, and she charged towards the priestess. The other woman was quick; she quickly drove the dagger into Sesshomaru's chest before Rin could reach her. Rin lunged at her over her mate. Both women fell to the ground with Rin landing on top. "You stupid bitch!" She dropped Bakusaiga and punched the priestess in the face as hard as she could. "Didn't you vow to protect humankind when you became a priest?" she screeched.

"Of course," the priestess coughed spitting up blood. "I just destroyed the largest demon threat these lands have ever seen."

The realization that Sesshomaru was dying suddenly hit Rin. "No, you just killed the protector of the Western Lands. Now every demon that was under his rule will turn against the humans," she said hoarsely. Tears began to fall from her eyes. "Do you think a monster would go through all the trouble of figuring out to make his human lover immortal?" The other woman's eyes widened at Rin's statement. "I hope...I hope that when you're rotting in Hell that they tell you how many deaths you were directly responsible for – both demon and _human_." Bitterly, Rin picked up Bakusaiga and cut down across the woman's chest. She turned her head as a stream of blood splashed up at her. Satisfied that the priestess was dead, she rushed back to her mate. "Sesshomaru?"

The dagger was still lodged in the upper left portion of his chest. Rin pulled it out and saw that the spiritual energy within the dagger had begun eating away and purifying his demon flesh. The hole continuously grew as the energy spread through his body. "Run Rin," Sesshomaru said weakly.

She shook her head. "No, I'm staying with you," she sobbed.

"I won't...recover from this...Rin. This time I...am too weak." He was silent for a moment. The woman didn't know what to do. She had been with him for as long as she could remember. She had never thought she would have to live through losing him. _My worse nightmare..._ "Weak... Pathetic...to be killed by humans," he said shallowly.

She shook her head and tears fell down onto his face. "No. No, you died saving your children. That's an honorable death. The most honorable death."

The demon gave her a small smile. "Precious mate. You've always been able to see the best side of every situation." Rin felt his hand on her arm. She took his hand and leaned over him. Her lips met his, and she lingered there until she needed to sit up and take a breath.

"Wait for me," she said quietly. "I'll follow behind you shortly." Her voice caught in her throat. "I love you Sesshomaru."

"Love you," he said softly and closed his eyes. Rin watched him until the sight of his decaying body made her sick. She closed her eyes and held onto his hand until she could no longer feel it.

"Knock her out," a voice said from her right. She didn't move. _Please just kill me. How can I live without him? _She heard movement to her right and then felt a thud across her head.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Ami stood at the Western Castle's front entrance. She wasn't a fighter; she had been raised to be a handmaiden after all. She still had the sharp senses of a dog demon though. She could hear the cries of those who were injured and she could smell blood; she also knew the difference between the human's and the demon's. She was completely shaken at the thought that her mate could be one of the demons out there who were injured...or dead. _How could the humans have stood up against our warriors? How?_

"The mist is beginning to clear," Ori, one of the castle's staff, said beside her. Ami nodded. The pair had been discussing the mist since the beginning of the battle. Neither of them could guess as to what purpose it served other than perhaps a weapon. _Surely, it would reduce visibility for the humans much more than for the demons._

"Get back! The humans are heading this way!" Jaken yelled from behind her. The demoness turned to look at the small green toad. "We're shutting the doors," he yelled shaking his staff.

She walked towards him into the castle. "Do you really think that closing the doors will be enough to stop them Jaken?" she asked as she passed him.

"It's up to me to protect the castle while Lord Sesshomaru is away, and I say that -"

"I didn't mean to argue with you Jaken," she interrupted before he could go into one of his long rants.

"You should go Lady Ami," Ori spoke up. "You still have time to escape."

"You think these pathetic humans are a threat?" Jaken cried.

Ami glared at him and then turned back to the other demoness. "No, I'm staying. I won't leave here without Karasaya."

"Lady Ami!" Mio, the cat demon who cleaned the castle, ran towards them from the stairway at the back of the castle. "The army approaches. We've been watching from the balconies." The pink cat demon was visibly trembling.

"Now is the time to leave, if you wish to escape."

"No My Lady. None of us would abandon our home. If the castle falls, we go with it!" Ori responded defiantly. Mio looked down at the floor and nodded her agreement.

Ami nodded. "Let's go." She led the way upstairs and down the hall to the balcony that overlooked the front entrance. They had discussed that the best way to defend themselves was to make a final stand there. _We'll thin down their numbers as much as possible before we have to fight them hand to hand. _"Are you ready Ine?"

The castle's cook had made herself busy by boiling water and carrying it up to the balcony. "Yes Lady Ami."

"Everyone ready yourselves."

They stood and waited. Ami silently prayed that the castle's guards would appear and push back the army. She doubted her prayers would be answered. They heard noise outside of the front entrance, and then the door suddenly split with a loud crack. Splinters flew back into the castle's hall as the humans pushed their way inside. Ami waited for a number of them to push their way through and then yelled, "Now!" Ine pushed a large kettle of hot water over spilling the burning liquid onto the unsuspecting soldiers. Jaken used his staff and began to shoot fire down onto the men.

She heard one of the men begin to shout orders over the cries of pain. "Use the back entrance! Bring the archers forward!"

"Go to the back stairway Jaken!" Ami instructed. "Don't let them get up here!" She turned to the cook who had two more kettles of steaming water waiting. "Keep it up Ine!" The lady of the dog demons followed after Jaken.

The toad demon stood at the top of the stairs and sent fire down at the ones coming up towards them. "You human fools! How dare you enter Lord Sesshomaru's castle?"

Ami wrinkled her nose at the smell of burning flesh. She drew her sword and stood further back in the hallway prepared to defend herself and the castle's servants. She let out a cry as she saw arrows began to fly up the stairs and around Jaken. The little demon didn't run though. An arrow struck him in the midsection and knocked him back. "Jaken!" The human men began to pour out of the stairway into the hall. Ami took a deep breath. _May I die with honor. _She held up her sword as the first soldier struck at her.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Rin fought to open her eyes. The throbbing in her head made it difficult. She pulled her hands upwards to wipe at her face and realized that she couldn't move. _I'm tied up. _The woman finally pushed her eyes open and immediately wish she hadn't. _No-I-how-no...no... _She involuntarily threw up and her body began to convulse in sobs. She was back home tied to one of the pillars in the castle's great room. Corpses of dog demons lay around her along with the bodies of her servants. Some were so mangled and charred that she couldn't recognize which friend the body belonged to. "She's awake. Get the general," a voice said.

She tried to spit out some of the disgusting taste of vomit and blood and wiped her face on her shoulder. "Lady Rin. It's honor to speak with you face to face. " She slowly turned to look at the man addressing her. It took a moment for her to focus on him. He was dressed in armor and was rather large. She also noticed that he was holding a stuffed toy dog in his hands. _The one Ori had made for Shio... _"I hope that as a fellow human being, we can come to some sort of understanding." Rin didn't respond. After a moment he frowned and continued. "I understand that you are a mother. If you cooperate with me, I will happily free you to return to your children. You are human after all. I have no qualms with you."

"Human?" she said hoarsely. Her throat was dry and it burned as result of getting sick. "What difference does that make?"

The man furrowed his eyes and frowned at her. "I have vowed to help unite these lands for my lord, Oda Nobunaga. I will protect the humans of Japan and defeat any demons who stand in my way."

Rin felt the tears begin to flow from her eyes. "These lands _were_ united. Under the rule of a powerful demon lord and a fair human woman, the Western Lands flourished in peace between the humans and demons. And you-you fools destroyed it! The demons in these lands are going to turn on the humans now! You've caused more harm than good!" she yelled.

"Silence. My offer still stands," the human man said. "I'll free you to return to your children if you help me. I could use you to help to convince the demons to surrender."

The woman shook her head slowly and closed her eyes. She had to admit she wanted to go see her children one last time. _They will only follow me and kill them..._ Her body shook as she gathered the strength to reply. "No," she quietly said.

"I apologize for the redecorating in here. If you hadn't killed my priestess, she would have simply purified the bodies. I have no choice but to burn them now." Rin's eyes flew open to look at the man. Terror seized her. "Light the corpses and burn the castle down," the general commanded. He tossed the toy dog at her feet. "Good day _Lady_ Rin." The men left after setting the bodies around her on fire, and the woman shook crying as the flames grew around her.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Myoga cautiously made his way into the Western Castle. _What Toutousai said must be true! The castle is overridden with humans._ Toutousai had sensed something happened to the Bakusaiga. It was the sword created from Lord Sesshomaru's regenerated left arm. He had given it to Rin when they had discovered the sword was connected to her and made her immortal. _Toutousai said that he had sensed the Bakusaiga die._ The old demon was a sword master and was in tune with all of his master's swords. _If Bakusaiga died that could only mean that either Sesshomaru or Rin died...perhaps even both._

The tiny flea demon headed towards the great hall of the castle. It looked like the majority of the humans were coming in and out of that room. He hopped onto a small, decorative table holding an incense burner and a vase of flowers. He could clearly see into the large room from his perch. "Oh no! Lady Rin!" He could see the woman tied up to one of the pillars. A large number of dog demons laid around her. Myoga could only assume they were dead. He swallowed. _If Lady Rin is tied up in here, that could only mean Lord Sesshomaru is..._ The small flea wiped his eyes as tears began to fall. _It's not possible!_

"You fools destroyed it!" Myoga looked up to see Lady Rin yelling at one of the men standing in front of her. "The demons in these lands are going to turn on the humans now! You've caused more harm than good!"

"Silence. My offer still stands," the fat, human man replied. "I'll free you to return to your children if you help me. I could use you to help to convince the demons to surrender." Myoga blinked in surprise. _The children aren't here? They must have hid them among the dog demons in the mountains._

The woman shook her head slowly and closed her eyes. "No," she quietly said.

The man was obviously angry. "I apologize for the redecorating in here. If you hadn't killed my priestess, she would have simply purified the bodies. I have no choice but to burn them now." He turned to the group of men standing in the hallway holding torches. "Light the corpses and burn the castle down." He turned back to Rin and tossed a stuffed animal at her. "Good day _Lady_ Rin." The men with the torches began to light the dog demons' bodies on fire. The leader walked out of the room and motioned for one of the other soldiers to come to him. "Where are the swords?"

"I've tied Sesshomaru's and Rin's swords to your horse. There were four total."

"Good," the man nodded. "Lord Nobunaga will be pleased. Gather your men. We're leaving."

Myoga watched as they left, and the other humans begin to follow them out including the pair with the torches. The flea demon watched for another moment as Lady Rin called out from the flames. _I'm sorry My Lady._ He felt guilty for abandoning her, but he knew he would never get through the flames to free her. Reluctantly, he made his way to the entrance of the castle. Once he was a good distance away, he stood and watched as the Western Castle burned. _What do we do now? How did this happen?_ The memory of the leader with Lord Sesshomaru's swords came back to him. _I must tell the dog demons! If Raisaiga falls into the wrong hands, it could be very bad for the demons. _He went to look for bird to carry him to the mountains. _I'll find Mistress Ryomi. She'll know what to do._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

**Again, sorry for the long update. It took me a long time to get this chapter the way I wanted it.**

**Those who are about to kill me for killing Sesshomaru and Rin – be patient! I've already changed the time line once...who says I won't do it again?**

**Thanks for all of your input! It might be a wait for the next chapter too. Sorry...life is crazy!**

**-Rachel**


	5. Bitter Determination

This is a sequel to _Forever with Lord Sesshomaru._ I suggest you read that story first to get caught up, but this one can be a stand alone...

Summary: Kagome discovers that when you time travel things can get pretty messed up. A story about twisting time lines and family Kagome never knew she had in the modern era. How can she have a half demon for a niece? Set in all times and eras and back again. SxR mostly.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any characters from Inuyasha. Any original characters, please don't reuse.

**Chapter 5**

**Bitter Determination**

**Feudal Era – 1574**

"Come on Genkei! You can do it," Shiori called out as she held his hands. The young half-demon was pulling her brother up trying to get him to walk. They were still sitting in Takahiro's and Rei's home in the dog demons' mountain sanctuary.

"He's too little Shio," Kenchiro said from his spot on the floor nearby.

"He's not. He can do it!" Shiori said back to him as she continued to pull Genkei along. She was dragging him more than he was walking.

Ryomi watched in silence from the other side of the room. _It's better that he doesn't. Mother would be crushed if she missed it._ She looked out the front window of the dwelling. There wasn't much to see other than rock and more homes in the large cavern. Yemon and Katsutoshi were standing outside also. She couldn't hear them, but she assume by the looks on their faces that they were just as worried as she was. _The sun set a while ago, and my parents and the dog demons haven't returned. _She turned as movement out the window caught her eye. _Daitaro..._

The dog demon walked into the house and looked around. "Hey Ryomi."

She took a deep breath and gave him a fake smile. She didn't want to argue with him in front of the others. _I don't really want to talk with him at all._ "What is it? You have news?"

He blinked. "Uh, no. I just wanted to see if you wanted to take a walk with me." He smiled, and she could see the sincerity in his blue eyes.

"No thanks."

Daitaro frowned. "Come on. I want to talk with you before you leave."

She sighed. "Fine. Let's go." She stood up and turned to her siblings as she followed him out. "Stay here. I'll be back in a few minutes." As they walked passed Yemon, she caught his eye. He raised an eyebrow, so she shook her head in response. She waved him off indicating she was fine without him. The dark-haired dog demon frowned and turned back to his conversation with Katsutoshi.

She silently followed Daitaro through one of the many corridors that connected to the cavern. _I know he wants to talk about this morning..._ A sinking feeling formed in her stomach as her conversation with Yemon came to mind. _So what do I do if he apologizes? I still think he's an ass._ The white-haired dog demon finally stopped and turned to her. "Uh, I just... I guess I made you mad this morning, huh?"

Ryomi fought to keep the frown off of her face. _Still an ass!_ "You _were_ a bit rude."

He sighed and placed a hand on the wall. "I don't want you think that-" He pushed off the wall and turned away. "That I don't care about you."

The half-demon felt her mouth drop open. She looked down at the ground determined not to get upset and cry. "I understand Daitaro." She took a deep breath. "I'm not an idiot. I know that you're in line to rule the dog demons – you have to take a dog demon mate...full-demon mate."

He turned back around, and she looked up. Her emotions were reflected on his face. "It's not my choice Ry."

"_Any man who wouldn't give everything for you isn't worth it. It shouldn't matter to him that you're half-demon." _Her mother's words came to mind. Ryomi bit her bottom lip in frustration. _If he really cared about me, he'd give up his title._ "It's fine. I understand you have a duty."

"It's not just that. My father told me that I'm not to...to 'pursue you romantically.' It's not my choice."

_Coward!_ "It's okay. I get it," she bit out. "You're to be the next lord of the dog demons." She shook her head ready to get away from him. "It doesn't matter. We can still be friends or whatever. I don't care." She turned and headed back down the corridor the way they came. _You could have been the next fucking Lord of the West!_

"Ryomi!"

She continued on ignoring him. Suddenly, something bit her cheek. "Ouch!" She slapped at it and pulled her hand back to find a small creature in it. "Myoga? Were you eavesdropping?"

The small flea demon began to jump up and down in her hand. She knew the demon had been a long time servant to her father. She found him to be a pest. "I'm sorry Princess Ryomi! I had to find you!"

"Are you crying?" The sinking feeling returned to her gut.

"Mistress! Your parents are dead. I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Daitaro had walked up behind her. "What do you mean dead? What about the rest of the dog demons?"

"I don't know. Toutousai had sensed the Bakusaiga lose its power-" _What? It can't be..._

"Which means one of my parents were killed," Ryomi said softly. _Mother..._

"I went to find out what happened, and when I arrived at the castle..." Myoga stopped.

"Go on," Daitaro said forcefully.

Myoga began to cry again. "The only one alive was Lady Rin. I couldn't save her! They burnt the castle down around her!"

Ryomi froze. _Mother was alive...which meant that..._ She dropped her hand and the flea hopped up onto her shoulder to avoid falling to the ground.. She sank to the floor on her knees. _Father!_ The half-demon took deep breaths. It was hard for her to breathe. "How...?" she whispered.

"What about my parents?" Daitaro asked angrily. "Did you see them?"

"There were many dog demons lying there dead," Myoga said sadly from her right shoulder. "I didn't have time to identify any of them."

Ryomi quickly stood up and rushed down the rock corridor. By time she got to the end she saw Yemon and Katsutoshi rushing towards her. "Ryomi? What is it?" Yemon called out as they neared each other.

"We have to go. Myoga said that they're all dead. We have to go see. They can't be," Ryomi said breathing heavily.

"Slow down Ry," he said and grabbed her shoulders.

"They can't be!"

"Princess, you said Myoga is here?" Katsutoshi asked. The flea hopped onto Yemon's outstretched arm and began to repeat what he had already told her and Daitaro. The guards visibly looked shaken as Myoga told them the news.

Yemon swallowed. "We'll go in the morning. We can't do anything tonight."

"What if they are alive and need our help?" Katsutoshi responded. "We should go now."

"I agree!" Daitaro said.

"No," Yemon said loudly. "We don't know what kind of danger we'd be walking into. We'll go in the morning."

"You're not the senior-ranking guard here," Katsutoshi said bitterly.

"No, _I_ am," Ryomi said softly. All three of the dog demons looked at her in surprise. She looked up at Yemon. His brown eyes also looked sad. _He's right. We should wait._ She pushed Yemon's hands off of her shoulders. Myoga bounced up onto Yemon's shoulder so he wouldn't fall. "We'll go in the morning," she said trying to sound strong. She failed miserably.

Yemon nodded. "We don't tell anyone what Myoga said until we know for sure. I don't want to start a panic up here." She nodded. _How can I hide this from Ken and Shio? _"You too Daitaro. Don't tell your little sister or Lady Rei. Got it?" Daitaro nodded. "You need a moment alone?"

It took Ryomi a moment to realize he was talking to her. "Yes," she said and nodded. She felt tears accumulating in her eyes. "Leave me please."

"Good night Ry," Daitaro said hollowly. He headed away. Katsutoshi nodded and followed after him.

"Come with me," she said to Yemon as he turned to leave. He raised an eyebrow. "You're my guard aren't you?" she said agitated and upset.

"I'll go now," Myoga said cautiously.

"Uh, you'll find the other children in the building at the end of the corridor. Stay there, and you'll go with us in the morning," Yemon said. The flea demon nodded and left the pair alone.

Ryomi took a few steps further back down the corridor away from the cavern. After a few moments, she sank down to the ground and began to sob. She felt Yemon come sit behind her. One of his arms moved against her back. "How could this have happened?" she cried into her hands.

"I don't know," Yemon responded softly. She turned her head to look behind her. His head was sunk down. "You were right earlier. I should have been there fighting with them."

She turned back around. _I should have died. Not them. _Kagome's note came back to her mind. _If things would have happened like they should have, I'd be dead right now – not Mom and Dad. It's my fault. It's...my...fault. _The pair sat quietly for a while. _...and it wasn't just Mother and Father. Daitaro's parents, Isas and the guards, the castle servants...they're all dead because Mom wanted to save us._ She burst into tears again as the extra guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders. _Now what do I do? _She felt Yemon's hand move to rest on her right shoulder. _She shouldn't have done it! She should have left things alone! It wasn't worth it! _Anger at her mother stirred within her but faded after a couple of moments. _She risked herself to save us...so did Father. _The half-demon girl wiped at her eyes. _I'd happily trade places with him. I don't want to live knowing they're all dead because of me. _She inwardly sighed. _If only Aunt Kagome hadn't given Mother that note..._ She sat up suddenly as the thought continued to repeat in her head. _What if Aunt Kagome's note changed?_ "We have to fix it," she said quietly.

"What?"

"Uh..." She didn't want to tell him about the note. _Not yet. _"I-I'm glad you're here with me." _I'm going to need him to help me. I'm going to fix this._

"Thanks," he said softly. "You understand that what Myoga said is probably true?"

Ryomi nodded. "Yeah. I'll be okay." _I'm going to fix it._

"You're very strong Ryomi," he said quietly.

"I need you to be too. Please."

Yemon moved around her back, and she turned her head to look over at him. His eyes were narrowed. "It's okay for you to cry you know. You're not your father."

"I know! Besides, my father had feelings too. You just never got to see them," she said bitterly.

"Okay. Sorry. I just-"

"Quit thinking you know what's best for me all the time!" She pushed back from him and stood up. "You're going to have to listen to me, if we're going to fix this!"

He stood up. "What are you talking about?"

She silently cursed herself for saying that. "I'll explain later."

"Are you talking about using the Tensaiga?" he asked.

"No – just wait. I'll tell you later. Right now I," she paused. Suddenly the full weight of her sorrow and guilt it her. "I just want to go to sleep," she cried.

"Come on." Yemon moved so she could walk beside him. He moved his left arm across her back, and his right held onto her right arm above her elbow. He walked her back down the corridor and into Rei's home.

"What's going on?" Rei asked as they entered. Mercifully, Ryomi saw that Shio and Ken weren't there. _She must have sent them to bed already._

"The princess and Master Daitaro got into an argument," Yemon responded. "She just needs some rest."

The demoness frowned sympathetically. "Of course, this way." She led them back to a room where bedding had been laid out for Ryomi. "Do you need anything Princess?" Ryomi shook her head. "Then good night. I'll check back in the morning." She left after checking the water pitcher in the room was full.

Yemon let go of Ryomi. "Good night Ry."

"Will you stay nearby?"

He smiled. "Of course. I _am_ your guard after all."

She gave him a small smile back. "Thanks. I feel safer when you're nearby." She suddenly realized that she truly meant that. _I know he can help me fix this. _It was hard to tell in the dark, but she thought his cheeks turned red for a moment.

"Uh, night Princess." He turned and left pushing the curtain closed behind him.

She let out deep breath and laid down. She closed her eyes and let the tears fall as she drifted to sleep.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Yemon sat in Lord Takahiro's home for the rest of the night. _If any of the bastards are left I'm going to kill them one by one._ He had never like humans. They were nothing more than pests. Lady Rin had changed some of that opinion over the years he had served her. Overall, he still considered most humans to be pests, but recognized that a select few could be trusted. _Like Nagano...he was a good man. _He sighed and leaned back against the wooden wall he was sitting in front of.

He glanced towards the far wall. Like most of the homes he'd been in, the wall was made of paper making it easy for him to hear Lord Sesshomaru's children sleeping on the other side. Ryomi had cried for a long time before falling asleep. It would take himself a while before he'd be able to fully accept the death of those who had cared for him for so long: Isas, Karasaya, even Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Rin. He didn't remember much of his family since he was given to be a guard as a child, but the people at the Western Castle had become a new family for him. _Isas was almost like a father to me. _And when most of the other guards put him down for his bad attitude and his young age, Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Rin had always shown trust in him. He even considered Lady Rin to be a friend.

He spent the remainder of the night trying to figure out how humans could have defeated the great demon warriors. _How could they have all been killed and Lady Rin was still alive at the end? _None of it made sense to him. _And how does Ryomi plan to __**fix**__ this? _He hoped the death of her parents hadn't turned the half-demon crazy. He couldn't help but smirk at the thought. _Crazier..._

"Yemon?" He turned to see Princess Shiori coming towards him. "Where's Ryomi?" The small girl was still in her pajamas, and her white hair laid in tangles around her shoulders.

"I think she's still asleep."

"Oh." She came and sat down beside him. "I think something's wrong. I heard her crying."

Yemon frowned and looked into her bright golden eyes. "Don't worry about it Shio." He turned away trying to keep his face blank. "Don't worry about it." She shrugged and left him alone. He heard Rei's and Kenchiro's voices join hers down the hall. He smelt food a few minutes later.

He turned to his right to see Katsutoshi enter the building. "Yemon, the sun is up. Let's head out."

"We wait for Ryomi," Yemon replied. He wasn't about to leave without her. He'd never hear the end of it. _Besides, she won't be happy until she sees it for herself._

"I'm ready," he heard her voice call from the other side of the house. He stood up as Ryomi entered the room. He didn't miss the fact that she was wearing a short blue kimono with pants. Her sword was also hanging at her hip.

"Did you eat?" he asked. Her gold eyes narrowed giving him his answer. "Go eat. We'll wait." She frowned and went back further into the house.

"Here comes Lord Daitaro," Katsutoshi said. Yemon turned to look out the window. The young dog demon came into the room with a frown on his face. _I guess he would be a lord now..._

"Are you ready? Where's Ryomi?" he asked.

"Here," the young woman came back into the room. "I have Myoga too. Let's go."

Lady Rei followed her out. "Where are you going?"

Yemon exchanged looks with Ryomi quickly and then turned to Rei. "To check on things. We'll be back soon."

The dog demoness turned to Ryomi. "You should stay Princess."

"We'll be back soon," Ryomi responded. She walked past them and headed outside.

"Are you going too Master Daitaro?" Rei asked. Yemon turned and followed Ryomi out of the building as Daitaro and Katsutoshi finished the conversation with the demoness. He noticed that AhUn was out there waiting for them. _Katsutoshi must have brought him up._

Yemon looked over the half-demon girl. She looked tired, and it was obvious that she had been crying. He watched as she checked over the dragon demon's saddle and reigns. Her actions showed no sign of distress, no shaking. He approached her and leaned over her right shoulder. "Are you sure that you're up to this?" he asked.

She turned to look at him and then took a step away looking back at the saddle in front of her. He didn't miss the bitterness on her face when she looked at him. "Stop asking. If you dare question me again, I'll have you reassigned to babysit Genkei."

Yemon frowned. "Sorry."

Ryomi mounted AhUn and looked down at him. "Let's go. They'll catch up." Without giving him time to respond, she turned the dragon and headed down one of the exit tunnels.

"Coming," Yemon said sourly.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

She landed in the field between the castle and the forest and the others followed. As the group traveled, they had passed over the mess in the forest. Trees laid uprooted; other spots were just ash. Ryomi couldn't bring herself to get any closer to the castle. She looked over at her home. The few walls that were partially standing were blackened and scorched. Everything else was ashes. Smoke could still be seen rising from the pile of debris. It was impossible for the half-demon to process the scene in front of her. _How? How did humans defeated my father? How?_

"Where is everyone?" Daitaro asked angrily. Ryomi looked over at him. His emotions were clearly displayed. He was having a hard time coping with situation. She frowned. _And I'm doing better? _Truthfully, she was terrified. She didn't know what to do next. _But I know I can change it. I can fix it._

"I said before, I saw a number of bodies in the castle before they burnt it," Myoga said from atop Ah's head. "The humans must have buried their own dead."

"I can smell the corpses and fresh dirt from that way," Katsutoshi said as he pointed towards the forest.

"What do you think happened?" Yemon said from beside her.

She looked down at the guard. He was looking towards the castle. "I-I don't know. I haven't really been able to..." She took a deep breath.

"Why does it matter?" Katsutoshi asked looking at Yemon. "It's obvious that everyone is gone. We should leave and take Lord Daitaro and Lady Ryomi to safety."

Ryomi frowned. "It does matter! Who says these humans won't go after the rest of the demons? How do we stop them?" She slid off of AhUn's back to stand with the other demons. "Myoga said that Mother was the only one alive. That means they had a attack that effected the demons and not humans."

Yemon narrowed his eyes. "Like a spiritual attack?"

"Are you saying Lord Sesshomaru was taken down by a priest?" Katsutoshi asked doubtingly.

_My father never would have fallen to a human._ "I don't know." She looked back towards the forest. The massive destruction there must have been from demons. _How could a human survive an attack like that? _She bit her bottom lip in thought. _They couldn't...which means they somehow stopped Father before he could kill all of them. How though? He doesn't have any weaknesses._

_x_

"_My family is my weakness."_

_x_

"_That's why I don't age," her mother said. _

"_It only works for you?" the young half-demon asked._

_The woman smiled, but it was a sad smile. "Yes Ryomi, only me. I wish I could make you immortal too Honey...you'll live for centuries though, longer than any human."_

_Ryomi smiled. "I guess. I wish I would grow faster though. I'm older than all the human children at Shinakio, but they're all taller than me!"_

_Her mother laughed. "You'll grow." She laid Bakusaiga on the bed beside her. "It's also a curse though."_

"_Huh?"_

"_Bakusaiga." She ran a finger down the blade. "I'm made stronger, but it could potentially hurt your father. If I'm hurt it heals me, but your father becomes weaker at the same time."_

"_That's what you meant by it shares his power with you?"_

"_Mm-hmm."_

"_I'll protect you Mom...and the baby too!" She said pointing at her mother's swollen stomach. "That way, no one can hurt you, and Dad will never get weak!"_

_The woman laughed. "Your father will have no problem protecting our whole family...all four of us, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind your help."_

_x_

Ryomi wiped at her cheeks as she felt tears rolling down them. "Myoga?" She turned back to AhUn to find the little flea demon. "Do you remember seeing Mother?"

"Yes Mistress. She was the only one-"

"Do you remember seeing blood on her clothes?"

The flea didn't answer for a few moments. "Uh...I'm not sure Mistress." She nodded wishing he knew. _Is that how they got to Dad? ...by hurting Mother?_

"What do you want to do Princess?" Katsutoshi asked.

"We need to go look at the castle," Daitaro said before she could respond. "We have to make sure there aren't survivors who need our help."

"They're dead Daitaro," Ryomi said sourly. "Your parents, my parents – they're all gone. Looking at their burnt bodies isn't going to help!"

"What's your problem?" Daitaro yelled at her. "Don't you want to know for sure? If there's even a chan-"

"No. I don't want to see them. They'd be with us if they were alive!"

"Then what? What next? We go on with our lives like nothing happened?"

She swallowed trying to keep her temper. "Of course not you fool. We remember them and move on. I'm not going to sit here and cry while I have a responsibility to the rest of the Western Lands." _That's what my parents would have done. They would have kept going._

"Well I don't!" Daitaro responded. "I'm going to the castle." The dog demon headed towards the burnt building at a quick pace.

"Stay with him Katsu," Ryomi ordered.

"What about you Princess?" Katsutoshi asked.

"Yemon and I are going to Shinakio. We'll meet you back here." He obviously didn't like her answer but turned and followed Daitaro.

Yemon turned to her. "Ry, I can assume why we're going to Shinakio, but are you sure that-" She hopped on AhUn and took off before he finished. _Don't question me guard._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Yemon watched Ryomi as they headed towards the human village. Her face was set in stone, and she looked straight ahead. He knew Ry could be cold at times, but he had never seen her like this. As they neared Shinakio, the damage was easy to see. Many of the buildings were burnt, many completely to the ground. Smoke still rose from a few of the homes. The demon glanced over at the princess. The look on her face hadn't changed.

"What the hell do you want? Get out of here!" a man yelled from within the village. His face was covered in dirt and soot. His clothes looked the same. Ryomi directed AhUn to stop and hopped of the dragon demon. Yemon took a step ahead of her to make sure no one tried to attack her.

"We came to help," Ryomi said from behind him. Her voice was even and cool. Yemon inwardly frowned. _Is she in complete denial that her parents just died?_

"Help? Where were you yesterday? Aren't you demons supposed to be our so-called allies?" the man yelled back.

"Stop," another voice came from Yemon's left. Another man stepped forth from a charred house. "Let's hear what she has to say." He recognized the man as the village's leader.

"Lord Jien, what happened here?" the half-demon asked.

The man took a deep breath. Yemon noticed that he was clean, and his clothes weren't burnt. "We had no warning. Out of nowhere, flaming arrows began to drop onto our homes. That was it. There was no army following it. No one pursued us as we began to evacuate."

"Punishment," the princess quietly said.

Jien nodded. "Yes. They didn't want to hurt us, just punish us for refusing to help them."

"We should have helped them! Then we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"Stop Nota," Jien scolded the man. Yemon glanced behind him at Ry. She still stood there with no emotion on her face. He narrowed his eyes at her, but she didn't look at him. "I do have to ask Princess. Why didn't Lord Sesshomaru send anyone to help us? He had promised to protect us as allies." Yemon turned back to Jien to see the man was obviously afraid of her. _He knows not to question the demons._

Ryomi was silent for a moment. "My Father would have come. My parents always protected those those who needed them." She paused. "I apologize for not coming sooner in their place. My Father hadn't given me the option." Yemon turned his head in surprise at her statement.

"What are you talking about Ry? You'd be dead too if you hadn't been up in-"

"Silence guard!" the demoness snapped at him. She sent him a fiery glare. Yemon frowned. _Why are __you acting like this? _

"Dead? Did something happen to Lord Sesshomaru?" Jien asked.

"My parents are dead along with most of the other dog demons. This army from Edo was able to somehow subdue the demons. There are few of us left. It's my duty now to determine where we go from here."

"I'm sorry Lady Ryomi."

"All we can do is move forward. Can you give me more details on the attack? Where did they strike from? How many? What time?"

"Uh sure," Jien said. Yemon frowned as the man went to details about the attack. _Why does Ryomi want to know this? What the hell is she planning? _He continued to watch her. She was very focused on every word the human said and asked him questions about every detail.

"How many did you lose?" Ryomi asked as he finished describing the attack.

Jien frowned. "Luckily most of us made it out alive, but I know we lost at least seven plus our homes, cattle, belongings..."

"Where is everyone now?" Yemon asked looking around. The place looked to be nearly deserted. He only could see a few here and there picking through the wreckage.

"Southeast. We took the majority last night to shelter in the human villages there. A few stayed behind. I came back with a group this morning to help collect anything that survived the fire."

"You have no plans to rebuild?" Ry asked.

"Maybe next year," Jien shrugged. "The fire spread to our crops. We would never be able to survive the winter here."

Ryomi nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It is not your fault Princess. I am sorry to hear about your parents. I had a great deal of respect for them."

She nodded. "Thank you. I will be back to aid you in any way I can. I must go to Shouhei now."

Jien nodded sadly. "I hear they lost most of their villagers. I didn't think it was possible for humans to take down a whole demon village." Yemon frowned. _The humans got them too?_

"It won't happen again, if I have anything to do with it." The half-demon jumped back onto her mount and headed towards Shouhei. Yemon nodded a thank you to Jien and followed after her. It only took him a moment to catch up with her. "Don't ever speak out like that again in front of others," she said to him angrily as he came up beside her.

"I was just pointing out that you couldn't have done anything about the attack! If you'd have been down here, you'd be dead too!"

"Maybe not."

"Ry, I don't know what you're planning, but I'm not going to let you put yourself in danger."

"I don't want to hear it Yemon."

"Ryomi! What good are you if you get yourself killed? What do you want? Revenge?"

"Shut it. We're here." He looked ahead at Shouhei as they entered the village. Unlike Shinakio, the buildings looked to be intact. It didn't look like the village had been attacked in any way, but the smell of the village told a different story. "It's quiet." Ryomi directed AhUn into the center of the village where a large fountain stood. She dismounted and looked around.

"I smell blood Ry, and a lot of it."

She nodded. "Come on." She lead him across the open path towards one of the shelters. He followed her inside to darkness. He could smell a demon in there obviously wounded. _A dog demon? _"Uncle?"

"Ryomi? Is that you?" a weak voice came out of the dark room. "Push open that curtain so I can see you."

Yemon blinked as light suddenly poured into the room. He could see Ryomi pulling back a curtain, and an elder demon laying on the floor. _Lord Samuru._ He recognized the dog demon as Lord Sesshomaru's uncle. Ryomi moved to kneel beside the demon. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure," the old demon said hoarsely. "When I finally awoke...all I could smell was blood Ryomi. I heard a few voices earlier, but it's been silent for many hours."

The woman turned to Yemon. "Go check the other homes, see if there are any other survivors." He stood up and turned towards the door.

"No need," Samuru said. "There's no one else." Yemon turned back to the dog demon. "A friend of mine, a fox demon checked on me this morning. He had been away from the village during the attack. He...he said I was the only one he found alive. I told him that I had heard voices. Whoever it was must have left because he didn't find anyone."

"Let's go Uncle," Ryomi said. Yemon noticed that she still was unemotional. He didn't like it. "We'll take you away from here to recover."

"No Ryomi. I'm almost gone. I'm surprised that I've lasted this long. My body is old, and I was always weak for a demon. My brother and his son were the strong ones. You too Ryomi. So strong."

"I don't like leaving you here alone."

"Then send your father to see me. I have always enjoyed speaking with him. Your mother too."

"They're dead Uncle."

The dog demon looked surprised and pulled himself up to look at Ryomi. "The mist got them too?"

"Mist?"

"That's how they put us to sleep. It was a mist. I tried to fight it, but I couldn't stay awake."

"They killed everyone in their sleep?" Yemon asked. It was beginning to make sense. Humans wouldn't be able to defeat the dog demons in a straight fight. _They put the demons to sleep. There's no honor in killing your enemies in cold blood._

"What was the mist? Do you know?" Ryomi asked.

"I do not know Child."

"Maybe there's a way to stop it," she said quietly. Yemon narrowed his eyes. _She __**is**__ planning on attacking them! I'm not letting her get herself killed._

"Go now. I don't have much time. I don't want you here when I go. Let me go in my sleep Ryomi. Do you want me to give a message to your Father?" The old dog demon gave her a small smile.

Ryomi noticeably sank at the question. "Tell him that I'm...no. No. I have nothing." She leaned forward and placed a kiss on the old demon's head. "Sleep well Uncle." She stood up and moved past Yemon towards the door. He followed her out to see she had stopped in the dirt street.

"Are you alright?"

She looked over her shoulder at him. He expected to see tears or some sort of sorrow, instead her face was once again blank. "Remind me to come back here and burn down the village. They deserve a proper burial." Without another word, she continued to AhUn. The dragon demon was obviously happy to see her.

Yemon felt a pit growing in his stomach. _She can only stay strong for so long. It's going to get to her at some point._ "Now where?" he asked quietly.

"Back...home."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

They met Daitaro and Katsutoshi back at the Western Castle. The pair hadn't found anything conclusive. They said the castle was reduced to ash, and that they couldn't find any bodies...dead or alive. Ryomi had expected as much. She had given the castle one last look before they headed back towards the mountains. _It's gone. Everything is gone. All I can do is go forward and wait. I'm going to fix this._

She was surprised that she was able to keep her composure. She was sad. She truly was, but the guilt outweighed her sorrow. _They're dead because of me. To save me. What right do I have to mourn them? I'm not even worthy of that. _The half-demon wasn't sure how she was going to tell her siblings.

When the entered the mountain sanctuary, there were a number of dog demons already waiting for them. _Apparently word spread that we left. _"How do you want to do this?" Daitaro asked her as she dismounted AhUn.

She looked around her at the waiting faces. _I thought I would tell my siblings first, but...these people lost their families too. _She took a deep breath trying to fight the guilty feeling in her chest. "Gather at village center. We'll tell you everything we know," she said loud enough so that all the demons standing there could hear. "You should get your sister," she said softer to Daitaro. He nodded and headed into the collection of homes ahead of them. She turned to her left and handed AhUn's reigns to Yemon. "Can you get Ken and Shio? I'm going to head towards the market."

"No, I'm staying with you," he responded. She narrowed his eyes at his disobedience. "You may need the protection." He gave her a look that showed he wasn't willing to discuss it. "Katsu? Can you get them?" he looked over her shoulder.

"Sure. We'll meet you there Princess," Katsutoshi said from behind them. He took the reins from Yemon.

Ry nodded her thanks and then headed towards the market. Yemon followed close beside her. She didn't miss the fact that the dog demons that she was passing all watched her go by. Many of them began to follow her. They passed through the market to an open area among all the homes and shops. She saw that many dog demons were already gathered there. "Are you sure this is a good idea Mistress?" Myoga said from her shoulder. "Some may strike out at after hearing the news."

"They need to know. Go elsewhere if you're afraid." The tiny flea demon didn't respond; he didn't leave either. She was rather surprised.

She pushed her way through the crowd to stand in the center. "Here; stand on this," a demon male said beside her. He placed a large wooden box on the ground upside down. Yemon offered his hand and helped her step up onto it.

The half-demon looked around. Being surrounded by dog demons made her feel very..._different._ She waited until she saw Katsutoshi enter with Lady Rei. She had Kenchiro and Shiori with her. Ryomi saw Daitaro moving towards her with his sister, Emiko. She took a deep breath. "There's no easy way to bring you this news. Please understand that I don't have all the details yet, but I promise to continue investigating the matter."

"Where's my mate?" she heard a female voice call out from the crowd.

Ryomi cringed as the crowd began to stir. "I don't know. We went to the Western Castle this morning to find it completely in ashes. There was no sign of any demons." The crowd began to talk and get louder. Many called questions out to her. Ryomi paused and waited. She had seen her father do this many times. He never shouted out to get people to be quiet. _Just at us kids. _She frowned. _I'll never hear his voice again..._ "I only can assume what has happened based on two things." Those around her quieted and motioned for the people behind them to quiet down. "I only can assume what has happened based on two things," she repeated louder. She had their attention again and continued. "Shouhei had also been attacked. One of the survivors was able to tell me before he died that the humans that attacked were able to subdue the demons there. The humans them to sleep and killed them all." The crowd began to talk amongst themselves again. "I..." she paused fearing the response at her next words. "Myoga, a servant of my father's, was able to escape the castle." She held her hand up to her shoulder and the small demon reluctantly walked onto it. She held him up for the dog demons to see. "As you can see, Myoga is small, so the humans didn't pursue him." She again waited for the crowd to quiet down. She looked around at the faces, some angry, some curious, others reflected her fear. Ryomi kept her face blank though. _I have to remain strong, or I won't be able to lead these people._ "Myoga said that he saw the humans place dog demon corpses in the castle before burning it." The crowd of demons got louder. "He wasn't able to positively identify any of the dead...except my mother." Suddenly the cavern seemed to quiet.

"What of Lord Sesshomaru?" someone called out.

The half-demon fought to keep her voice from shaking. "I can only assume he is also dead. As is Lord Karasaya."

"They could be alive!" She looked to her right to see Daitaro beside her. He pushed himself up onto the box next to her. "They could still be alive," he said again. "We didn't find any bodies at the castle, so they could still be alive."

"We both know that's unlikely," Ryomi said bitterly. She dropped her hand and saw Myoga jump down on the ground. "They would have returned by now if they were alive." The shouting grew louder as the demons around her demanded answers. "I know-" she stopped, waiting for the crowd. Daitaro waved his arms trying to quiet them down. "I know that it's hard to accept the fact that the humans have found a way to kill demons, but we have to move forward. I plan to find this weapon and destroy it."

"Now who's being foolish?" Daitaro challenged. "They killed _Lord Sesshomaru. _You'd be no match for them!"

"Because I'm a half-demon?" she screeched back at him.

"Stop it!" she heard Kenchiro's voice down behind her. She looked down as he pushed himself up on the box between Ryomi and Daitaro. She felt a hand on her left side holding her up as the three of them balanced on the wooden box. She turned her head to see Yemon there to make sure she didn't fall. She nodded her thanks and turned back to her brother. "Everyone be quiet!" Kenchiro yelled. His child voice didn't carry well across the crowd. He yelled again. After a moment, the crowd settled. "Listen to me!" She looked her little brother over. He was obviously upset, and his eyes were red. "Since Mom and Dad are...gone, that means that _I_ am the new Lord of the West." Ryomi took a deep breath.

_No._

_**I**__ am the heir. __**I**__ am Father's replacement._ She suddenly felt numb. Her parents had never told anyone. _Kenchiro can't lead these people. He doesn't have the leadership skills necessary, not to mention he's a child! _

The crowd was in a roar again. Many of the dog demons yelled out that they wouldn't follow the half-demon boy. Daitaro yelled out trying to get them to calm down. It was all becoming a blur to Ryomi. "Listen to me!" Kenchiro kept yelling. "You have to follow Daitaro! He's the lord of the dog demons now! If you don't want to listen to me, listen to him!" Ry narrowed her eyes. _Father demanded __respect out of his people. Ken is rolling over and having Daitaro do the work for him. _Ken looked up and waited for Daitaro to speak. The dog demon seemed to freeze for a moment unsure of what to say. _Idiots!_

"Tell them that you're going to protect them," she commanded Daitaro snidely. "If you don't settle this crowd down, you're going to have a mutiny. We don't need to turn on each other."

He glanced at her, his face a mix of fear and surprise, and then turned back to the crowd. "We don't need to turn on each other. We continue on like we always have. Lord Kenchiro's only job is to protect you and make sure nothing from the lands below finds its way here into our home. He won't tell you how to live your lives. I'll be in charge here in the mountains. Nothing will change. We'll continue on just as we would if my father was here." His words seemed to slightly pacify the crowd. He looked over at Ryomi. "What next?"

She shook her head. "Apparently, you two are the ones in charge. Figure it out yourselves."

"Why are _you_ so mad?" Kenchiro asked.

She narrowed her eyes. _Today I lost my hero and the man I loved...and he's been replaced by a pair of idiots. _"You two better get it together," she snapped. "If the dog demons turn on you, it's over. Forget the Western Lands. Forget the dog demon clan. We'll all turn on each other and become the animals that the humans think we are." She jumped down off of the box beside Yemon.

"What are you talking about?" Ken asked confused.

Ryomi looked up at Daitaro. "This place is a sanctuary for demons. Protect it! Keep the peace! You may have more demons coming here to find a new home. Daitaro, it's up to you to make the dog demons accept other demons here in their home. Kenchiro, it's up to you to work with Daitaro to figure out how to best make more room in here."

"What are you talking about?" Ken exclaimed obviously still confused.

Ry looked around her. Most of the dog demons were leaving the area, heading back into their homes. Some still lingered and were discussing what had happened. A few stood around listening to her conversation. "The dog demons are safe here. Other demons are going to need somewhere safe to go, so it's only logical to send them here. There's more than enough space in these mountains." She grabbed Ken's wrist. "Do you understand me?" He nodded.

Daitaro leaned over him to look down at her. "What are you planning on doing?"

"I have a duty to the people of the Western Lands, both humans and demons. I'm going to go find this weapon and destroy it."

She felt Yemon's hand on her left arm. "You should stay here where it's safe."

Ryomi opened her mouth to respond, but Ken interrupted. "You don't have a duty to anyone Ry! _I'm _the Lord of the Western Lands. It's _my_ duty."

She pointed her right index finger at the boy. "Shut your mouth before I knock it off. Never refuse help from your friends. I'm going out to help _your _ people. You want the title? Then do something with it!" she sneered. "Your title is worthless if you simply sit here and hide among the demons. Now do what I told you and Daitaro to do and make yourselves useful. I'll come back after I destroy that weapon!" She turned and headed back towards the market.

"Ryomi!" Daitaro called after her. She spun around to find Yemon following her.

She looked up to Daitaro and her brother still standing there. "There's no discussion on this. Protect this mountain!" She turned back around and continued on.

"Ryomi?"

She stopped in her tracks at the sound of the small feminine voice. She turned to her right to find Shiori standing there with Lady Rei. The dog demoness was holding a very fussy Genkei trying to get him to settle. Her little sister was wiping at the tears streaking down her cheeks. Rei spoke up. "I suppose Takahiro is among the missing?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry." She knelt down next to her sister and the girl reached out for a hug. Ryomi felt guilty once again. She pulled Shio into her arms. "I'm sorry Shiori. I'm going to try to make everything better," she whispered in her ear.

"But Mom's not coming back?"

"No Shio."

"Dad neither?"

"No," she said softly.

"You can't leave too Ryomi!" the girl cried into her shoulder.

Ry took a deep breath and pulled Shiori back. "I have to go, but I'll be back. I promise." The half-demon girl wiped at her eyes. "I have to go help other demons so they are safe. Be brave. Ken and Daitaro will stay with you. Emiko lost her mommy and daddy too, so she needs a friend." She pointed to Daitaro's little sister standing nearby. "Can you be her friend?"

Shiori nodded. "I'll play with her Ryomi."

Ry smiled. "Good. I'll come back as soon as I can. Be good." She gave her sister another hug and stood up.

"I will Ry."

Reluctantly, she turned away and headed back through the market towards the outer walls of the cavern. "I take it you're going to follow me?" she said over her shoulder.

"First, I'm going to try to talk you out of whatever crazy plan you're thinking up, and then I'll follow you when that doesn't work," Yemon replied. "Besides, it's my job to protect you."

She turned and looked the demon in his eyes. She could tell that he was serious. "I'd be happy to have you along, just don't try to talk me out of this."

He smiled. "I already figured that won't work."

She nodded. "Thanks." She turned towards Rei's home to collect AhUn.

"Will you promise me something?" he asked as she collected the few belongings she had left out of Lady Rei's home.

"What's that?"

"You said something earlier about fixing everything. I want to know what you were talking about." The half-demon slowly turned to look at him. He had his arms crossed over his chest and raised his eyebrow at her. "You don't have to tell me now, but promise me you will tell me eventually. If you want my help, I want you to tell me everything. We won't be an effective team if we don't agree on everything."

"Really? You think the two of us are going to agree on everything?"

He rolled his dark eyes and moved his hands to his hips. "We can at least try."

She gave him a small smile. "Alright. I promise. I'll explain everything to you after we leave here."

He nodded. "Okay. What's the plan right now?"

She frowned at him and walked by him out the home's entrance. "Are you deaf guard?" she called behind her as she went to AhUn. "We're going to find that weapon."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

They had followed the tracks of the human army towards a human village partially surrounded by a large forest. "Should we hide in the forest?" Yemon asked from the ground beside her. "We could wait there until they leave the village and ambush them."

Ryomi shook her head. "It's not even mid-day yet. If they haven't left yet, they'll probably be here until at least tomorrow. It could be even longer if they have wounded."

"Mistress, I would suggest not going into that forest," Myoga said from AhUn's back. Ryomi looked down at him to see he was obviously afraid..._once again._ The little demon had decided to tag along with them. "That forest belongs to Misaki and Suzuki, and they are not very kind to strangers."

The half-demon nodded. She remembered meeting the twin forest demons a few years ago. Myoga was right...they weren't very kind at all. "I'd rather chase this army out of my lands. The villagers here don't need them using up their supplies."

"What are you thinking?" her guard asked.

"I want more information first, so I'm going into the village."

"Wait a minute-"

She glared over at the demon. "Look," she pointed towards a group of soldiers sitting in the middle of the village. "I'm going into the large building there which is most likely the Lord's home. I'm going to quietly sneak in, find out what I can, and get back out. If those soldiers sitting in front of it start moving, I need you to come rescue me." She gave him a sarcastic smile. "Which means you have to stay out here."

Yemon frowned. "I don't like it."

"That's fine. You don't have to." She slid off AhUn's back and down to the ground. "I'll be back."

"Be careful."

Ryomi took off with a burst of speed around the outskirts of the village and around behind the large home she had identified earlier. There wasn't any men around the back so she moved towards the building and pulled herself up into a window. She pushed through the curtains and into a dark room. She looked around. A few shelves with scrolls and a lap desk furnished the room along with a pile of pillows. It reminded her of her father's study. She took a deep breath as memories of her father came to mind. She pushed them back and walked further into the room. "Mistress?"

She froze frightened for a second until she realized it was Myoga's voice coming from her shoulder. "I'm surprised that you came along. You're usually a coward."

"True," the demon's voice came from her shoulder, "but I wanted to tell you something else...about what I saw in the castle."

A sinking feeling seemed to engulf her whole body. "Can it wait?"

"The army's commander took your parents' swords with him."

"What?" She turned her head trying to look at the flea.

"He took all four swords. You must reclaim them. If those swords fall into the wrong hands, it could be very bad."

Ryomi nodded. "Another reason for me to kill this bastard." Suddenly voices came from near the door. The demoness moved further back into the room and stood close to the wall.

The door opened and two men walked in. "I really don't like this," one said. He was tall and well built.

"What am I to do?" The other responded. "If I send them away, they would just kill us all and take our supplies!" The second man was bit thicker and balding. Ryomi guessed by the way he was dressed that he was the one in charge.

"I understand My Lord. There's no easy way to handle this situation. We can only hope General Watanabe is leaving within two days like he said."

Ryomi watched as the well-dressed man walked further into the room. "Two days... If the demons find out they are here, we'll all be dead." He lit a small light on the opposite side of her.

"My Lord!" The first man exclaimed as he spotted Ryomi. The other spun around terrified.

Ryomi stood up straight and pushed herself away from the wall. "I'm not here to harm you," she said softly. "And I'm not here to start a battle in the middle of your village. I just want General Watanabe."

The men looked at each other and the first one stepped towards her. "Revenge?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Don't insult me. I wouldn't waist my time on something as worthless as revenge. I need to find out how he was able to kill my father."

"I did hear him talking about destroying the dog demons," the lord said quietly. "I'm sorry to hear your father was one of them."

"I'm surprised Lord Sesshomaru hasn't gotten involved yet. He seems to always step in when things like this happen," the other man said.

Ryomi swallowed. "Lord Sesshomaru is...was my father." The room was silent for a moment. "My father was not weak," she continued. "I need to know how he was killed. This weapon that General Watanabe has to kill demons must be destroyed. I need to talk to him."

"We'll help you in any way we can My Lady," the lord said. Ryomi looked him over and realized that he meant it.

"I don't want to put your people in danger," she replied.

"Do you have a plan?" the other man asked. Ryomi blinked and looked back and forth between the two men. Something her mother once said popped into her mind. _"If you make an ally out of a human, he will often follow you blindly. When a human sees a demon, he doesn't see another creature like himself. He either sees a monster with the strength to easily kill him or he sees a powerful, immortal god that can make all his problems go away. Don't be surprised when your human allies turn to you for help and expect you to fix everything."_

She thought about it for a moment. "I want to draw this weapon out into the open. I need to go to the forest."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Yemon followed Ryomi out towards the forest. She had returned shortly after she left with a human man in tow. The human was named Basho and was an adviser to the village's lord, Chishin. Apparently they were willing to help Ryomi because they had come up with some ridiculous plan...and of course the princess ignored him when he tried to tell her it was ridiculous. _Whatever...she's going to end up dead before she's even a century old. _He frowned at the thought. It was up to him to make sure that didn't happen.

They approached the forest, and despite Myoga's complaints, nothing happened. No demons came out of the forest; no one came to attack them; nothing. Finally, Ryomi stopped a few feet into the woods and looked around. "Misaki and Suzuki," she said in a loud, stern voice. "Show yourselves."

They stood there for a few more moments, and Yemon was about to suggest that they were wasting their time when a voice came from above them. "My my. Those eyes make it obvious who you belong to...not to mention I couldn't think of another half-demon with the guts to call us out." Yemon looked up to see a feminine demon with long pink hair and pink eyes sitting above them. Even her dress was pink.

"You're Lord Sesshomaru's eldest, right? Ryuko was it?" another voice said from behind him. Another

demon stood there. She looked exactly like the one in pink except this one was dressed in yellow which matched her hair and eyes. They both were very attractive.

"Ryomi," the half-demon woman corrected. "I apologize for disturbing you, but I've come to ask for your help."

"Help?" the one in pink said with a frown.

The man, Basho, knelt down in front of the one in yellow. "Lady Suzuki, I'm begging you to help us. An army has come into our village and is using up our supplies and food. Lady Ryomi has come to our aid and she needs your assistance."

"Is that why they keep cutting at my trees?" the pink-clad demon asked dropping to the ground.

Basho stood up. "Yes Lady Misaki, they are trying to repair their broken carts and weapons."

Misaki turned to her sister. "Well, I'm all for chasing them out."

The yellow sister nodded. "How can we help Lady Ryomi?"

"Don't let Basho fool you. I have an ulterior motive here. While it's important for me to help these people, I came here to find a weapon the Edo army is using. I need to destroy it."

"What kind of weapon?" Suzuki asked.

Ryomi frowned. "I don't know. It has the ability to pacify demons, making it easy for the humans to kill them."

"I'm reconsidering our help," Misaki said sourly.

Suzuki frowned at her sister and then turned back to Ryomi. "Please take no offense, but isn't this something that Lord Sesshomaru would be better suited to handle?"

The air seemed to turn colder as Ryomi glared at the sisters. Yemon had seen that look many times before and knew that the half-demon was becoming very agitated. "My father is dead. He, along with many other dog demons, were killed in battle against this army."

"Forget it. I'm out." Misaki said and jumped up onto the branch above her.

"Misaki stop!" Suzuki chided her. "Lady Ryomi...I don't know how we can stop this if Lord Sesshomaru couldn't."

"Please, just listen. My guard, Yemon," she gestured behind her, "will be taking all of the risk. Your part in this plan is minimal." The princess pushed her hair back behind her shoulders and stood up tall. "You and these humans have lived in harmony for years. They even have festivals dedicated to you two. Be the gods that they adore for just one day and come to their aid!"

Misaki jumped back down to the ground in a pink blur. "You see us as goddesses?" she asked Basho in a doubting tone.

Basho bowed his head. "It's been a long time since any of us have seen your miracles, My Lady, but there are many who still believe." Yemon inwardly smiled. _Nice touch...appeal to their pride._

Misaki and Suzuki looked at each other and then turned back to Ryomi. "What's your plan?" Suzuki asked cautiously.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

General Watanabe looked up from his dinner at the young soldier who had interrupted him. "What are you talking about?"

"The men are complaining about strange happenings around the village. It appears that the forest is growing in around us."

Watanabe frowned and slowly pushed himself up off of the floor. "Show me." He followed the young man outside towards a group of his warriors. "What are you men looking at?" One pointed and the general shifted his eyes to where he was pointing. "What the...?"

The trees were _growing._ He could see them growing. He looked around. The forest had sat towards the south of the village when they arrived the evening before. Now, it had grown completely around the village and was continuing to grow. The general shook his head. Never had he seen anything like it. He was actually watching small saplings grow into large trees. _Unbelievable._

"You've angered the forest guardians," Lord Chishin said walking up beside him. "I told you to not cut down the trees."

Watanabe frowned at him. "I have injured men. If I don't construct more carts to carry them on, we won't be leaving your village until they've fully healed. That could be weeks."

"Now when you leave, you'll have to go through the forest. Either way, those men will die."

"Shut up. I can't believe how many little villages like this are terrified of demons! You understand now why we're trying so hard to wipe them out?"

"No I do not. The forest guardians have protected us for years. We are not 'terrified' of them; we know to respect their forest. That's a warning I tried to give you," Chishin said defensively.

Watanabe sent him a glare annoyed with his words. _Forest guardians...bah! All demons are alike and __all need to be destroyed! _He inwardly frowned. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option right now. "So, if your people leave, will the forest guardians attack them?"

"Of course not!"

"Then here's what we're gonna do," Watanabe said with a vicious smile. "Since I don't have enough carts to take all of my men to safety, we're going to send out a few at a time escorted by your people. Go tell your forest guardians that we're _sorry_ for using their trees and that we're leaving. No harm to us, no harm to your people, and I'll be nice and not wipe them out like I did the dog demons. Got it?"

Chishin didn't reply right away. He looked to be thinking it over. "That would seem to be the best choice." He narrowed his eyes at Watanabe. "You promise not to attack the Guardians? Doing so would surely but my people in danger."

The general frowned becoming very annoyed with the balding little man in front of him. _If I was capable of destroying them, I would!_ "We'll leave them alone."

"Good. Allow me to find my adviser, Basho. We'll go speak to the demons. I'll then ask around for volunteers to escort-"

"_**HUMANS! YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR CRIMES!"**_

Watanabe spun around at the growling voice. Whatever it came from sounded very large and very angry. "Fall into ranks!" he commanded his men. His eyes scanned the forest ahead of him looking for the owner of the voice.

"General!"

He saw it. A large shape moved forward from the forest. For the first time in a very, very long time, Watanabe was terrified. _A dog demon._ The beast wasn't one of the largest dog demons he had seen, but he was still very large. His eyes glowed red against his dark fur. The small force he had left wouldn't be able to stop the dog demon. He had had a group of demon slayers, but they had all died during the battle against Sesshomaru. _Without Saika, we're defenseless. _"Stand your ground and prepare to fight. One dog demon is nothing compared to the army we just defeated!" Even if he was terrified, he couldn't let his men see it. They had no choice but to stand and fight. If they ran through the forest, the demons there would kill his men.

"Watanabe!" Chishin cried out. "You've endangered my whole village! You must stop the dog demon!"

"Get your people to safety. We'll try to hold him off."

"Try to hold him off! Go defeat him before he enters our village! Didn't you just defeat an _army_ of dog demons?" the village leader was becoming irate, screaming at the general.

Watanabe grabbed the man's shirt and held him at arm's length. "Listen, things are a little different now. I now have an army full of injured men and lost my best warriors."

"How did you do it? How did you defeat them before?" Chishin yelled back.

"General, what are your orders?" one of his commanders shouted out.

"Hold your ground." He looked out towards the forest. The dog demon wasn't advancing yet. He looked back at Chishin. He pushed the man back releasing his clothing. "We had a secret weapon before," he said soberly. "Unfortunately, it's now gone. Go get your people to safety."

"I've heard enough," a feminine voice came from behind him. Watanabe looked up to see a figure standing up above them on the roof top. _Another dog demon!_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Ryomi watched from the roof of Lord Chishin's home as he debated with the Edo general. The plan was to use Yemon as bait to get the army to reveal their weapon. She only hoped that Yemon was able to dodge whatever the weapon through at him. She frowned as the general seemed to figure out his way past the forest demon sisters. _Crafty bastard. Let's see how he handles Yemon. _The half-demon waved her hand towards the forest. Her guard would easily be able to see her signal from this distance due to his demon senses. A few moments later, Yemon emerged from the forest looking very angry and very sinister. Ry smiled. She thought it made him look like a bad-ass.

She turned back to the conversation between Chishin and Watanabe. The general looked frightened. She could smell the fear rolling off of him. The argument got heated after a moment, and Ryomi hoped Chishin would be able to get the man to bring out their weapon. She listened intently as the general lowered his voice. "We had a secret weapon before. Unfortunately, it's now gone. Go get your people to safety."

She frowned. _What was it! _The half-demon stood up agitated. "I've heard enough." The men below her looked up. Watanabe's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head. She jumped down in front of the fat man. He jumped back from her, so she grabbed his neck and lifted him up. Even though he was very large, she had the strength to lift him off of the ground. She saw the soldiers behind him turn her guns towards her. "Hold your ground," she commanded in a loud voice. "I'll kill him if any of you move."

"Let go of me demon!" the general choked out.

She turned her eyes back to him. "Tell me what the weapon was. How did you kill them?"

The man let out a gurgling laugh which made him look even more repulsive. "So you've come for revenge?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I wouldn't waste my time on something so pathetic. I want to know how you defeated three dozen dog demons. Tell me!" She squeezed his neck tighter.

"Wouldn't you like to know? I'll never tell, and even if you kill me, my name will forever live on as the man who defeated the dog demons."

Ryomi's eyes widened. "Fool. You defeated _three dozen_ dog demons costing you hundreds of soldiers. Did you think that was all of us? There are hundreds more dog demons living outside of the human's reach. We could easily wipe out every human on this island if we chose to," she said venomously. "But we chose to live in peace with the humans in our lands. A peace that you have now destroyed."

"You're lying!" the general said gasping for breath.

"If you only knew how many demons there really are... I want to know what that weapon is so I can warn the other demons living here among the humans."

Watanabe tried to wiggle out of her grip. "You'll find out what it is with the next army that comes to destroy you!"

Ryomi had enough. She was tired, angry, and felt drained both physically and emotionally. She looked at the soldiers who were frozen watching her. "Anyone willing to tell me what your weapon was will live. Any volunteers?" There was no response for a moment and then a few men raised their hands. After the first few, more and more men began to raise their hands. She looked back at the general and smiled. "So much for loyalty." Watanabe glared at her. "A leader who fails to inspire loyalty fails as a leader...something my father once told me." She closed her eyes and let the poison in her veins flow from her fingertips into the man's throat. She opened her eyes as he took his last few gurgling breaths and she threw the man to the ground.

Suddenly a bang rang out from among the soldiers and Ryomi felt something hit her in the right side of her chest. The half-demon cried out in pain. She didn't know what had hit her, but it dug deep down into her skin. "Stand down!" one of the humans yelled out. She looked up to see Yemon running towards them in his larger form. Ryomi waved for him to stop. The dog demon jumped up over the humans making most of them cower down and cry out in fear. He shrunk down into his smaller form and landed right beside her.

"Ry!" He reached for her and she held up her hand. She stood tall and looked over at the group of soldiers. _I don't want them to know how much this hurts! _The guard stood back as one of the human men pulled another out of the group and threw him onto the ground at Ryomi's feet.

"What the hell are you doing?" he yelled at the soldier on the ground.

"She killed the general!"

The first man pointed the object he was holding at the soldier on the ground. The weapon made a loud bang and sent a small piece of metal at the man at the ground. Ryomi frowned as the metal went into the soldier's forehead causing him to fall back dead. _What a mess. _She looked at the weapon the man was holding. She had never seen anything like it but had heard her father describe them before. _Rifles. Is this their secret weapon? _She quickly decided against it. Her father wouldn't have been stopped by something so small.

"Anyone else?" the executioner yelled out. "It's obvious that if we're going to survive this, we have to cooperate with these demons. If you have a problem with it, feel free to step forward." No one moved. Ry inwardly smiled. _Cowards._

"It looks like _you_ have no problem inspiring loyalty," Chishin said to Ryomi with a chuckle.

"Go tell you villagers that they are safe. I'm sure this whole ordeal has frightened most of them." Chishin nodded and headed off. She turned back to the soldiers. "What's your name?" she asked the man in front of her.

"Kondo, Naoki."

"Well Kondo," she said trying to remain strong. She was beginning to feel faint. "You're now in charge. I'll let you and the rest of your men go if you answer my questions." He nodded. "How did you defeat the dog demons?"

"A priestess named Saika traveled with us. She was able to create a mist that was some form of spiritual attack. It dulled demons' senses sometimes even putting them to sleep."

"That explains what happened at Shouhei," Yemon said quietly from behind her. She nodded.

The half-demon wasn't satisfied though. It just didn't seem right to her that her father could be defeated by smoke. "Tell me what happened to Sesshomaru."

Kondo shrugged. "I don't know all the details, but I heard General Watanabe and the other commanders talking about it. I guess someone figured out Sesshomaru had a weakness and told Lord Nobunaga. Rumor was that our lord was afraid of him, so when he found out Sesshomaru had a weakness he commanded the general to take Priestess Saika and demon slayers to defeat him. The story around the camp was that he had a human woman and if she was injured, it would weaken Sesshomaru. So, they sent the demon slayers in after her. I was in the group of soldiers in the forest, so I saw Sesshomaru attack." He shook his head. "I don't think the mist fazed him at all. I truthfully thought we were all going to die, but out of nowhere, he shrunk down and Saika was able to kill him. I heard that they killed his woman and that's why he was weakened, but then I heard she was the one who killed the priestess, so I don't know what actually happened."

Ryomi listened to his story trying to hold in her emotion. _Father is dead..._ "The priestess is dead?"

Kondo nodded. "She was our secret weapon."

"Mistress," Myoga's voice came from her shoulder. _Where did he come from? _"When I saw your mother-" He paused. "I heard her speaking to General Watanabe before he left. He did say she had killed his priestess. He wasn't very happy about it." The half-demon nodded and bit her lip. She was having a hard time fighting back her tears. _Three dozen dog demons, and my human mother was the one who defeated their secret weapon..._

"Your mother?" Kondo repeated.

"I am Sesshomaru's and Rin's daughter, Ryomi." He noticeably turned pale. Whispers ran through crowd of soldiers behind him. "I'm not here for revenge, and I've already given you my word that you'll live. Like my father, I know the meaning of honor."

Kondo nodded. "Thank you. I...I am sorry that we didn't know demons like you existed. Demons who are more than animals."

The princess frowned. "Well you can go back and tell your lord," she said bitterly. "You may have defeated Sesshomaru, but I wasn't lying when I said there were hundreds more of us. Leave the demons alone if you value your lives." The crowd was silent for a moment. Ryomi felt herself shaking. She glanced over at Yemon and saw that he was frowning at her. She appreciated the fact that he wasn't telling her to go rest or to tend to the wound. He understood that she wanted to appear strong. That's one reason she liked having him as her guard. He usually caught on pretty quick. "Where are the swords?"

"Swords?" Kondo asked.

"Watanabe took four swords that belonged to my parents. I want them."

"Uh...we'll search the general's belongs."

"No, I'll have Lord Chishin do it. Whatever was the general's now belongs to him as compensation for you squatting in his village." Kondo nodded obviously unhappy. She turned Basho who had joined them a few minutes earlier. "Go make arrangements with the forest sisters to let these men leave." He nodded and headed off. She looked back to Kondo. "Leave this village. Leave the Western Lands. Go tell your lord we'll be waiting for any other army that comes to kill demons in my lands. Now that we know about the spiritual attack, we won't fall for it again. I will personally see to it that anyone attacking the demons or humans in my lands will die for their actions!" Kondo nodded and began to issue orders to the other soldiers there.

Ryomi turned around and headed into Lord Chishin's large home. She took few steps into the door and then paused. "Ry? You alright?" Yemon asked from behind her. She shook her head fighting to keep from falling. _I feel weak right now. I lost a lot of blood._

"Bring her this way," she heard a woman say. "I'll call for a physician."

Yemon swept her up and carried her into a room further into the building. She shut her eyes as he laid her down. "Ryomi, I have to get this out of your skin." She assumed he was talking about the metal thing that had hit her.

She opened her eyes and realized that he was blurry. "No, I'd rather that someone who knows what they're doing does it. Go away." She shut her eyes and passed out.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Yemon watched over the doctor as he tended Ryomi's wounds. After he was satisfied that the princess was alright, he went out and watched over the operation to kick the Edo army out of the village. Basho was working with Kondo to move them all out. The forest demons let the men pass through and leave, but stationed themselves at the edge of the forest animating the trees near them to scare the soldiers. The sisters, especially Misaki, were having a great time. Yemon thought their antics were funny, but he still would have preferred to wipe out the whole army. Ryomi was right though: revenge wasn't going to do them any good and attacking the army may have made their human allies turn against the demons. It didn't mean he had to like it though.

Lord Chishin had kept him updated on Ryomi's condition and reported that she was awake and doing well a few hours after she had been injured. He also told him that the swords had been found. Once the guard was satisfied that the army was well on its way out of the Western Lands, he returned to Chishin's home. The human man stopped him on the way in. "Will you deliver these to Lady Ryomi?" The man handed him a bundle of four swords. The demon looked down at the weapons. He could sense their power. No wonder Ryomi wanted them back.

"Of course. I'll take them to her now." The older man nodded and directed him to the room where he had left Ryomi earlier. Chishin bowed and left him standing outside of the door. Yemon knocked at the wooden door. "Ryomi?"

"Come in," her voice called back through the door. He went in to find her standing at the room's window. She didn't turn to face him. "Where have you been?" Yemon noticed that she had changed into a dark blue kimono. She must have collected her belongings from AhUn earlier.

"I was making sure that Edo soldiers were long gone. I understand why you let them go, but I still would have preferred to leave their corpses for the animals in the forest."

"I know." She turned around with a frown and looked down at the swords in his arms. "I could sense them earlier. Especially Raisaiga. It's a very powerful sword." Yemon nodded recalling Lord Sesshomaru wielding the weapon in battle before. "I..." she looked down and turned away from him. Yemon sat the swords on a small table near him. Ryomi was looking at him again when he turned back to her. Her eyes were wet with tears making them shine like small suns. "I had hoped I wouldn't find the swords. They're proof that Mother and Father are gone. I had hoped..." she covered her eyes and began to quietly sob.

Yemon frowned unsure of what to do. "Do you want me to leave?" He was glad that she was finally showing emotion. These was the Ryomi that he knew, not the cold-hearted woman he had traveled with earlier.

She shook her head. "No." The half-demon walked away from the window and sat down on the floor. "Just give me a minute. I'll be okay."

Something twitched inside him at her response. "You don't have to be so strong. You're aloud to cry you know."

She looked up at him with a glare. "I've done enough crying. I have no right to sit here and whine like a baby. I know what my parents did. I should be grateful and repay the favor. It's time for me to move on and think about how-"

"What do you mean repay the favor?" Yemon asked angrily. He moved down to the floor beside her and knelt there. "You better not be thinking of doing something stupid like throwing away your life!"

She pushed herself up to kneel in front of him, their faces inches away from each other. "No you moron! Why don't you shut up and listen? They saved my life. **I should be dead!** So now I'm going to find a way to save theirs. I'm going to fix this."

The demon blinked confused. "What are you talking about?"

The woman continued to glare at him for a moment and then pushed herself back. She stood to her feet and walked to the other side of the room. Yemon sank back to sit on his heels and watched as she took a small box out of her satchel. She returned and sat in front of him. "This." She held the box out for him to see.

He looked at it skeptically. It was nothing more than a small, decorative box. "Care to explain?"

She used a small key to open the box and pulled out a piece of paper. Yemon watched as her whole body shuttered. She visibly went from being angry to being sad. "Mother gave me this before the attack on the castle. It's a note from Aunt Kagome." He remembered the human woman. She had died years ago. "She...she was from the future and traveled through time through the bone eater's well."

The demon frowned not understanding what Ryomi was saying. "What?"

"Do you remember the stories about the sacred jewel?" He nodded. That story must have been told a million times around the castle. Master Inuyasha had been very proud of himself. "Aunt Kagome had been pulled through time to help defeat the sacred jewel. She was from the future."

"I have a hard time believing this Ry, but go on. What's the message say?"

Ryomi frowned at his response but continued. "It gave a warning about the attack. That's why Father stayed and waited at the castle instead of going to Shinakio and helping the humans." She looked down at the paper. "The note says that Father and Mother had gone to Shinakio, but it was a distraction. The army attacked the Western Castle killing everyone inside including their children."

Yemon froze realizing what she was saying. "But you're still alive."

She nodded. "Kagome sent this warning, so Mom and Dad changed their actions. The results are that us kids survived, but they were killed."

Yemon shifted to sit on the floor. He turned over what the princess was saying in his head. He had talked to Isas before they left. He had said that Sesshomaru's actions were odd: waiting for an army they didn't even know was out there instead of aiding Shinakio. Yemon still wasn't sure about what Ryomi was telling him. _I message from the future? _It was all very strange. "So you want to try to change things again?" he said figuring out her plan.

The half-demon nodded. "I'm going to find Kagome in the future and send back a new message. This time warning them about the priestess. Maybe they'll be able to come up with a plan to stop her." She carefully placed the note back into the box and closed it. "They gave their lives to save us. I need to do the same for them. I have to try to save them." She looked up at him. Yemon felt his chest tighten at her gaze. "Will you help me?"

"Of course." _How can I say no? _

"Thank you."

"So what's the plan? Where do we find her?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I have an idea where to look." She stood up and walked to her satchel replacing the box inside. "Let's wrap things up here. We have a few stops to make before we head back to the mountains."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

It was getting dark, and with the sky covered in clouds, there was little light to see by. Ryomi was glad that AhUn knew where he was going. Without the dragon demon's help, she may not have found the desolate place. The large skull that the sword master, Toutousai, lived in seemed to glow red as they landed. The half-demon woman could see Toutousai sitting inside the skull's mouth working at a fire. Yemon landed softly beside her as she slid of AhUn's back. She took the bundle of swords from AhUn's saddle and looked up at Yemon. "Stay here." He nodded.

Ryomi turned and walked towards the giant skull. Toutousai turned to her as she stepped over the bottom row of teeth. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming," the old demon said.

"Why? Were you expecting me?"

"Myoga told me that you had found the swords. I only assumed it was a matter of time before you came to me." He gestured at the small flea demon sitting beside him as he spoke.

"I wondered where you ran off to."

"Forgive me mistress," Myoga replied. "I wanted to let Toutousai know that you had found your parents' swords."

"And now you are here. Unfortunately, the Bakusaiga now lays quiet." He reached towards Ryomi and she gave him the swords. He untied the bundle and picked up Raisaiga. "With a bit of work, I'm sure I could make Raisaiga to your liking."

"I didn't bring the swords here for you to alter them," she said angrily. "I brought them here for you to hold on to."

Toutousai squinted up at her and blinked. "You're not claiming the swords for yourself?"

"No."

He sat back and gave her a curious look. "Out of all Sesshomaru's children, you are the most like him. I thought for sure you would claim his swords as Sesshomaru claimed his own father's."

"And fight with my brother for years like he and Inuyasha did?"

"History does tend to repeat itself in your family," Myoga stated. She assumed she was speaking about her father and grandfather both mating with humans.

"No, no one is to know about the swords. Keep them hidden here and protect them. I don't want anyone to know they are here, not even Kenchiro."

"Hmm, Lord Sesshomaru never did leave instructions on what to do with the swords if he passed," Myoga said.

"If you're not interested in keeping the swords Ryomi, why not give them to your brother?" Toutousai asked.

"You two both know how powerful those swords are. If they fall into the wrong hands, I'll have a major problem to deal with. Ken isn't strong enough to use any of them or make sure they aren't taken from him. For now, they stay here hidden away. I'll come back for them at some point." Ryomi turned to leave.

"And you think I'm strong enough to protect them?" Toutousai asked from behind her.

She looked over her shoulder and gave him a sarcastic smile. "I couldn't think of anyone better that you Toutousai." She dropped the smile taking a serious tone. "Please, out of respect for my parents, keep the swords here. When I find a better place to keep them, I'll take the responsibility from you."

"They will be waiting here for you Mistress," Toutousai responded. "Take care Ryomi. I'm sorry about your parents. Lord Sesshomaru had become a great dog demon."

"Thanks, me too."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"You know, you've come up with some stupid ideas, but this has to be the worst one ever," Yemon said glaring through the tree branches at Ryomi. "Sneaking into Edo with this anti-demon movement going on is pretty stupid."

"Shut-up, will you?" She returned his glare and then looked through the branches out towards the road. Currently, the pair was sitting up in a tree hiding from a patrol that was going down the road behind them. "We're almost there."

It hadn't taken them long to get here by air, but once they had found Inuyasha's forest, Ryomi insisted they go in by foot. He wasn't sure what she was looking for, but he knew had to do something with her aunt and uncle. _Is the Kagome from the future here? _"I think they're gone," he said and dropped down from the tree.

"Come on AhUn," Ryomi said. The dragon demon which had been floating above the tree top came down beside them. "This way." She motioned for Yemon to follow and set off between the trees. He was glad they were leaving the road. He followed the princess for a while longer before she stopped. "There it is."

Yemon looked to where she was pointing. A small building beside a large tree sat in a clearing in the forest. "What is it?"

"The Bone Eater's Well." She walked towards the building and looked around the clearing. "I'm sure that we'll find him around here."

"Your uncle?" The half-demon nodded. Yemon looked up at the tree. Sacred scrolls had been placed on it. _If this is considered a sacred place, there's bound to be a priest or monk around._ "We should probably keep moving." Ryomi ignored him and walked into the small shed. He followed behind and glanced inside. The only thing in there was an well. _Dried-up too by the looks of it. _He suddenly caught the scent of a human and spun around.

"Hey! What are you doing there?" A man was quickly approaching them. Ryomi spun around and passed Yemon as she exited the building. She opened her mouth to say something when the man stopped. Yemon placed his hand on his sword. The man was obviously shocked to see the half-demon. He'd either run or fight. Yemon was ready for either.

"Are you one of Sesshomaru's?" the human asked.

Yemon blinked in surprise and turned to Ry. She narrowed her eyes at the man and looked him over. "And you're one of Tsugiko's right?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm Kiyoshi. What are you doing here?" The man walked towards them and smiled. Yemon let his hand fall from his sword. The man had dark hair and eyes and looked completely human. He even smelled human. Yemon wasn't good at guessing a human's age, but he figured the man was at least three decades old. _So this man is Tsugiko's son_? "I haven't seen anyone from that side of the family in years! Probably since I was a boy."

"I came looking for Inuyasha. Is he nearby?"

"Actually, most of the family is here right now. My younger sister, Hinami, got married a few days ago, so everyone came to visit. Grandfather is staying with my mom. I'll take you to him."

"I'd appreciate it." Yemon followed them into the forest. They came out into a small village a few minutes later. Most of the people there looked to be human, but he could see and smell distinctive demon traits in some of them. _So this is where Master Inuyasha's family went to hide. _

"Why are _they_ here?" one of the men stopped and asked him. He looked just like Kiyoshi, so Yemon figured they were brothers.

Kiyoshi went up to the other man. "Yukiko, this is...uh, Chio, right? You must remember meeting her before," Kiyoshi introduced the princess.

Ryomi nodded to the older brother. "Ryomi," she corrected. "You must be thinking of my younger sister, Shiori."

"Oh, sorry."

"Thanks for visiting, but I have to ask you to be on your way. We already have Nobunaga's soldiers suspicious of us, we don't need more demons here," Yukiko said rudely.

Ryomi took a step closer to him and narrowed her eyes. "I'm here to speak to your grandfather, and no one, including you, is going to stop me."

"That's enough Yukiko," a voice said to their right. Yemon turned to see a half-demon woman standing there. She had dark hair and ears and dark brown eyes. "I'll take it from here." He instantly recognized the woman. _Mistress Tsugiko. She looks just like her mother, Kagome. _The woman smiled. "I'm glad to see you Ryomi! Come in! Kiyoshi, please tend to AhUn."

Ryomi headed for the house and Yemon followed. Before they even entered the building he caught the smell of another demon...or rather half-demon. Master Inuyasha was there. The entered the home and sure enough, the half-demon brother of Lord Sesshomaru sat there on a short stool. "Hello Uncle."

"What brings you here, Little Princess?" the older half-demon asked. Yemon looked him over to noticed he hadn't really changed much since he last seen him. The dog demon quickly turned his head to Ryomi when he caught the scent of tears. The woman had began to cry and she was holding the small box in her hand. "Oh," Inuyasha said. He obviously recognized the box by the look on his face.

Ryomi rushed over to her uncle and wrapped her arms around his midsection. "It changed everything Uncle. Mom and Dad are gone, and I know we have to fix it, but I just don't know how!" she sobbed into his chest. Yemon was surprised at her outburst. He knew she had been trying to keep it together.

Inuyasha looked down at the girl in shock. He pushed her back after a moment and held her at arm's length. "What are you talking about Ryomi? That doesn't happen for years in the future." She shook her head in frustration unable to answer.

"The attack on the Western Castle happened two days ago. Lord Sesshomaru's children were all saved, but he and Lady Rin were killed instead," Yemon explained for Ryomi.

Inuyasha looked back and forth between the two of them in bewilderment. "Sesshomaru's dead?"

"How is that possible?" Tsugiko asked. "How could anyone kill Uncle Sesshomaru?"

Ryomi sank back and moved to sit on the floor. "They used the Bakusaiga against him. I don't know what happened exactly, but they some how got to Mother and injured her, weakening Father."

Inuyasha frowned. "How would anyone know about that? That was a closely guarded family secret. And who attacked the castle?"

"The army from Edo."

"They're attacking the demons now?" Tsugiko asked in a frightened tone. "They're going to come for us next Dad!"

"Settle down," the elder half-demon said. "Okay, I don't know what the hell any of you are talking about, so let's start from the beginning. The Edo soldiers attacked Sesshomaru's castle?" Ryomi nodded. "And Sesshomaru and Rin are dead?" She nodded again. He frowned. "Kagome put something in that note about the attack didn't she? That's where you kids were going to die?" Ryomi nodded with tears in her eyes. "Shit."

"Care to explain it to the rest of us?" Tsugiko asked.

"In the future...well, in my past when I was in the future with your mother...if that makes sense..." The half-demon scratched his white hair. "Anyways, the island was attacked by a demonic cloud thing. We lost the battle. Sesshomaru died in _that _fight. The stupid idiot; if he hadn't though, the rest of us probably wouldn't have escaped." Yemon swallowed. He knew Lord Sesshomaru was a lot of things, but selfless wasn't something that usually came up. _But if Lady Rin was involved, I could see why he put himself in danger. _"So, Rin and Kagome got the idea to send a warning back in time," Inuyasha continued. "It would give Sesshomaru and Rin time to put together a larger army of demons to stop the demon cloud. While they were visiting, Rin told Kagome her oldest four children died in an attack on the castle years ago. Kagome must have added that to her warning." Yemon frowned. Ryomi hadn't told him about the other part of the note.

The princess nodded and held the decorative box out in front of her. "There were two warnings in the note. The warning about the Edo army made my parents send us away, and they stayed to defend the castle. They died...in order to save us. I have to fix it Uncle."

The room was quiet for a moment. "Before you can change things Kid, you have to defeat that demonic cloud in the future. If you can defeat it, Kagome can send back another note. You can rewrite it, and maybe you can fix things then."

"When does it happen?" the girl asked. "There's a date on the note, but I don't know what it means."

"Um, it might be one of the foreign calendars they use in the future," Tsugiko said. "Mom had shown me some of them before."

"You have about four centuries to wait, Ryomi," Inuyasha replied. Yemon looked at him dumbfounded. That was a long time to wait.

"Four hundred years?" Ryomi cried standing up. "What am I supposed to do for four hundred years?"

"It may be even longer..." Inuyasha said in a thoughtful tone. "I can't remember when we gave the note to Rin exactly. I know it was a five hundred year difference. I think-"

"What am I supposed to do for **four hundred years**?"

"We keep going," Yemon said sternly. The others in the room turned to look at him. "Maybe we can fix this, maybe we can't, but you said yourself that your people need you. So we keep going for the next four hundred years doing the same things your parents would have done."

Ryomi stared at him for a moment. "You're right," she finally said. She didn't look convinced though.

Inuyasha stood up and put his hand's on Ry's shoulders. "Ryomi, I'm sorry to hear about your parents, especially your mother. I'm sure you can figure out a way to change things, just be careful. Anything Kagome sends back in time could change everything, maybe even your parents won't get together. I wish I could help you Kid, but I can't. You'll just have to find me in the future."

"Maybe you _can_ help." She turned to her cousin. "Giko, your daughter just got married?"

Tsugiko nodded looking confused. "Yes, four days ago."

The half-demon turned back to Inuyasha. "The attack on the castle happened two days ago. I could tell you in the future that you need to go to the castle after the wedding. If you were there to help Father, maybe we could win."

He nodded. "And you have to send Rin away. Sesshomaru may argue about it, but she's his weakness."

Yemon nodded. "We'll come up with a battle plan and send it back with Kagome." He looked over at the princess. "We can do it Ryomi."

She nodded and looked over at her uncle. "And we'll stop the demonic cloud. I promise."

He nodded and moved to hug her. "Stay strong Ryomi. I know you can do it Kid." He released her and took a step back. "You have your father's strength and your mother's stubbornness. With that you can't lose."

"Thanks."

"Not to mention you look like me. Good looks like that can't be stopped," the older half-demon said with a chuckle. Ryomi smiled. The first genuine smile Yemon had seen from her in days.

Tsugiko went up to the girl and gave her a hug. "Good luck. Tell the others we're thinking about them."

Inuyasha looked over at Yemon. "Take care of her Yemon. I trust you to help her. I know Isas takes a lot of pride in you."

The mention of Isas' name cut into Yemon. He nodded at the compliment. "I will. Thank you." He had fought alongside Master Inuyasha in battle before. The half-demon was a great warrior, and compliments from him came few and far in between.

"We should go. I don't want to, but your family is in danger by us being here," Ryomi said. They said their goodbyes and left the village shortly after.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

As they were heading back west, Ryomi thought about what she was planning to do. _Four hundred years is a long time. _Not only was she going to have to wait that time, but she was going to have to _ live _through that time. _By time four centuries pass, am I even going to want to change everything?_ "You okay?"

She glanced over her shoulder at Yemon. He was flying through the air beside her and AhUn. It was one of the demons' tricks that she had always envied. "Four hundred years is a long time," she said.

"It'll go by quick," he responded. "I'm over two hundred; you're in your sixties. Time moves fast for us demons." _I'm only half-demon. _She pushed the thought to the back of her mind and considered what he said.

After a stretch of silence, she spoke again. "Everything that happens in the next four hundred years will be erased and changed." She looked over at him. "Doesn't that bother you at all?"

Yemon frowned and looked to be thinking about it. "Why should it? If you change it, everything will change for the better right? You won't even know this other stuff happened."

"I know, but-"

"It must not have bothered your mother." Ryomi spun her head to look at him. He glanced at her and then moved his eyes back in front of him. His comment felt like a stab to her heart. _He's right. _Her mother had changed everything in order to save her children. Ryomi inwardly frowned and turned back forward. She and her mother had never really gotten along. At an early age, she had purposely insulted her mother for being human because she herself resented being a half-demon. As she grew, Ryomi had learned one thing about her mom. It didn't matter that she was human or demon, she always did what was _right_. And that one thing earned her the respect of all the humans and demons around her, even the respect of her eldest daughter after many years. "You have to make the decision now Ryomi – either live your life like you're going to change it or live like it's never going to change."

She sighed at his words. _It's not that easy. _She could make the decision not to change anything. She survived in _this_ life. She could send the same note back with Kagome. _But that wouldn't be fair. _Not only would her parents be dead, but the dog demons who had died in that battle. _And my younger siblings. _The note had said "oldest four children" which implied that there were more after them. _Now they will never be born because Mom and Dad are dead. _She took a deep breath. That seemed to settle it for her. She would have to change the note.

Her stomach began to twist at the thought. _So, now nothing I do in this life matters...how can I live like that? _She looked over at Yemon. His face was set in a grimace. She wondered if he was having similar thoughts. _Like he said, it wouldn't bother Mother. _The half-demon woman looked down at the lands around her as they continued back west. _So, I continue to serve my people. _She knew that was a no-brainer. It was something she could do and not worry about changing. If the time line changed, there would be no risk of that changing. She would continue to serve her people no matter what. That's what her mother would have done.

_But what about everything else? _She knew there were certain things she would have trouble giving up. Falling in love, taking a mate, having a family...they were all things that could seriously change if the time changed. _So I avoid them. I won't make the decision more difficult when the time comes. Yemon's right...I have to live knowing I'm going to change everything. _That meant giving up Daitaro too. She bit her bottom lip in thought. That wouldn't really be that hard to do. Now that he was the lord of the dog demons, he'd have to take a full-demon mate anyways. She could live without him. _And if I change everything, maybe that will change what happens to us too. _After her conversation with him that morning, she wasn't sure if she should just give up on him or not. If he didn't have to be the lord of the dog demons so soon, maybe he'd change his mind about her with time... "Yemon?"

He looked over at her. "Yeah?"

"I'm going to do it. I'm going to change the note."

The demon gave her a small half-smile. "I knew you'd make that decision. So where do we go from here?"

She took a deep breath. "We check in with the others. I don't want to stay at the sanctuary for long though. There's too much going on in my lands to hide up there. Even if I live knowing that I'm going to change everything, I'm not going to let my people suffer in the meantime."

"Makes sense."

"So, are you with me or do you want to stay back with the rest of the dog demons?"

He laughed. "What, being bossed around by Daitaro and Kenchiro? No thanks, I don't want to have to be ordered around by those two idiots."

She smiled. "Thanks for helping me with this."

"No problem Princess. I won't leave your side."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

**Another long update wait. I'm so sorry! :( **

**I didn't get a lot of extra time to write over the last few months.**

**The next chapter is going to be set in the modern era...stay tuned!**


	6. Lost Souls

This is a sequel to _Forever with Lord Sesshomaru._ I suggest you read that story first to get caught up, but this one can be a stand alone...

Summary: Kagome discovers that when you time travel things can get pretty messed up. A story about twisting time lines and family Kagome never knew she had in the modern era. How can she have a half demon for a niece? Set in all times and eras and back again. SxR mostly.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any characters from Inuyasha. Any original characters, please don't reuse.

**Chapter 6**

**Lost Souls**

**Modern Era – June 2nd, 2000**

"Welcome back Mr. West."

"Thanks Nagisa." Seth West pulled his luggage into the front door of the house.

"Let me help you Sir!" Nagisa came closer and took his coat and carry-on bag from him. The woman looked like she had lost some weight since the last time had seen her, but the housekeeper was far from skinny. The dark-haired, dark-eyed woman had been the housekeeper for his family's home in Sakai in the Fukui Prefecture, Japan for many years, and Seth could see wrinkles and age lines beginning to form on her face.

"I can get it. Just set my bag on the table." The woman nodded and did as he asked.

"Have you had dinner?"

"I grabbed a bite to eat in the airport." He walked further into the home and looked around. It had been a few months since his family had been there, but everything looked to be in order. He knew Nagisa ran a tight crew.

"Then I'll be back in the morning to make your breakfast."

He turned around to look at the housekeeper. "No, take the weekend off. I can take care of myself until Monday."

"But Sir-"

"No, I insist. I need some time to rest after the flight." The woman finally gave in reluctantly, and he watched her as she collected her coat and headed home. "Finally." The young man ran into the living room and jumped onto the brown leather couch. "Alone." Seth relaxed on the couch and took a deep breath. He couldn't remember the last time he was alone...completely alone.

His family was from Cambridge, Massachusetts near Boston, and his entire life..._well, really my entire family's lives..._were absorbed by his grandfather's business, Machine West. It was a business his grandfather had started years ago that specialized in building machinery and engines for all types of equipment. Seth's father, David, and been the only son and had grown up in the business. He even met Seth's mother while on business. Machine West had made some business partners in Japan while working on a very technical project needing their expertise. A few years later, Machine West bought the Japanese company to save it from bankruptcy, and while visiting the previous owners, the Kimura family, his father had grown close to their daughter, Megumi. They married and the rest was history. The business prospered, and David and Megumi had two children, Seth and Karina. Both had grown with the knowledge that every day should be dedicated to furthering the business. Seth couldn't complain. The philosophy had made his family very profitable and they lacked nothing...but living like that grew tiring after a while. Seth sighed. He was only twenty-six and knew more about business and engines than most people learned in a lifetime...which made him valuable to his family...which meant he could never walk away. _My destiny is already set...I'll be doing this until the day I die. _It had its rewards though. He would never have to worry about money or a job. His family lived comfortably and had a small army of servants. _Which makes it very rare for me to have time alone like this._

He stayed there on the couch for a few minutes and then sat up. Truthfully, he wasn't tired at all. He had slept on the plane and jet lag had never really bothered him. He stood up and walked into the kitchen. The clock in there read 6:38pm. He frowned. His body was still telling him that it was morning. He did the quick conversion in his head – _about 5am back home. No, not quite morning yet._ He shrugged and decided to have a look around.

The house had been in his family since he was a kid. It wasn't overly large like their U.S. house, but it was still spacious. The first story held a living room, kitchen, offices, living space for the servants when they were there, and some utility space. The second story held bedrooms, including Seth's. After looking around downstairs, he carried his luggage up. He made his way down to his bedroom and dropped the bags onto the bed. His smiled and sat down on the bed his luggage. He had picked out the decorations in the room when he was a kid and never had made the decision to change it. He'd been obsessed with samurai back then and the room's decorations were a testimony to that. The walls were painted in rustic browns and reds with pictures of samurai in their full armor. He closed his eyes and tried to remember what it was like to have no responsibility. With a sigh, he stood up and began to unpack. _ It was too long ago to remember._

As he was putting his clothing away, he noticed that Nagisa had left the day's local paper on his dresser for him. _Thoughtful of her._ He finished unpacking and then sat down with the paper. He flipped through it glancing through the business section and the local news. He stopped as an ad caught his eye. _The Feudal Festival. I haven't been to that for years... _His father had taken him to the festival a few times when he was a kid. The festival was hosted by the local museum as a tribute to the Feudal Era. It was full of vendors, demonstrations, and reenactments. His favorite had always been the one where the samurai were killing the last of the demon lords. There had been a sword fight between a demon woman and a samurai that Seth remembered as spectacular. He had never been able to figure out how she was able to do the acrobatics that she did. Father had joked with him that maybe she wasn't a human pretending to be a demon but was actually a demon. Seth, being the practical one of course, had argued with him about the impossibility of that being the truth. _Heh, I was even a know-it-all at eight. _

He stood up and looked in the mirror. He brushed his fingers through his dark hair to get it to sit straight and frowned at the gray streaks. His hair had started turning gray when he was a teenager. He had dyed it for a while and then gave up; besides it was better to look older when he was expected to help run a business. _Chances are I'll be bald like Grandfather by time I'm forty. _He frowned. Even though he had gotten his hair from his mother's side of the family, his eyes definitely were from his father. His light hazel eyes were a sharp contrast to his dark hair. He stood back satisfied with his appearance. _Let's go see some Samurai. _He headed downstairs towards the car.

After fighting traffic and finding a parking space a quarter mile away, Seth finally walked into the museum. He glanced down at his watch. He had reset it to local time before leaving the house, and it read 8:02pm. He glanced at the sign inside the museum's door. The building closed at 9, but the festival continued until 11. _More than enough time to look around._ He started off down the left wing of the museum towards where he remembered the samurai armor to be. The building hadn't changed since the last time he had been there. It still looked like it had built back in the 1800's, but it was well kept. The young man passed through a room full of brightly colored kimonos displayed in glass cases. _I thought the samurai armor was this way... _He turned left into another large room and stopped. _The Sesshomaru exhibit... _

He looked around at the cases full of paintings and artifacts. He remembered this room very well. It had been one of his father's favorite exhibits. He had always told Seth that it was proof that the impossible could very well be a possibility if you looked deep enough. It was a quote that his old man often used in the office while doing day-to-day business. _That's why he can build engines that others can only dream of. _He walked down the isle of displays and paused at a case holding a replica of the armor that demon lord, Sesshomaru, supposedly wore. _Not Samurai armor but still very cool. _He turned to his left to continue down the isle and paused.

A young woman stood there bent over with her nose almost pressed against a case trying to read the plaque on the display there. She was thin with dark brown hair. She was wearing a blue t-shirt and tight jeans. Seth continued to watch her, trying to get a better view of her backside. After a moment, she stood up and glanced over at him. He nodded wondering if she had noticed he was staring at her. He hoped she hadn't. _She is attractive though...I'm sure she gets it all the time. _The woman smiled at him a large smile that almost stretched from each of her dark eyes. Seth blinked. _What a hot smile... _She turned away and pushed her hair over her shoulders. Like an idiot, he just stood there. He couldn't bring himself to move. She turned back again after a moment and smiled again. "Are you a fan of Sesshomaru?" she asked in Japanese.

Seth nodded slowly. _Say something idiot! _"My father is. We often visited this exhibit when I was a child," he responded in the same language.

She gave a curious look and then smiled again. "You're from the U.S.?" she asked in English. He blinked at her accent.

"Yes, and so are you," he responded in English taking a guess. "You're from New England?"

"Boston!"

"I'm from Cambridge."

She laughed and gave him the incredible smile again. "No way! What a small world!"

He took a step closer and offered his hand. "I'm Seth West."

She took it and gave it a light shake. "Erin Hana."

"Nice to meet you Erin. Is your family from Japan?"

She shrugged. "No idea." She looked to her left breaking the eye contact. Seth wasn't sure how to respond, so he waited for her to go on. After a moment she turned back to him. He noticed that her eyes were very dark and very pretty. "Sorry. I was an orphan and adopted when I was really little. So I don't remember my family, don't know anything about them, and have no idea of where they came from."

Seth frowned. "My apologies. I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay!" she said cheerfully. "I could pass for a Japanese girl though, couldn't I? You had no idea. How about you? Is your family from here?"

He nodded. "My mother."

She nodded. "So I see why you assumed my family was from around here too. Don't worry. I wasn't offended at all. So, what brings you to Japan? Or do you live here? Do you come to the museum often? I've never been here before, but I love this exhibit!" Seth was stunned at the speed at which she talked. _Which question am I supposed to answer?_ Erin must have figured out what he was thinking. "Sorry. I talk a lot when I'm nervous."

"Nervous?"

Her cheeks turned a light color of red. "It's not everyday that I meet a cute guy, especially from my home town." Her cheeks suddenly turned bright red. "Not that I'm implying that this is going anywhere! I just meant that-"

"I'm in Japan on business," he interrupted smoothly. He inwardly chuckled at her embarrassment. "My family's business has a machine shop here, and so we come to Japan from time to time. I haven't been in this museum for a long time though. I saw the festival was going on and decided to check it out." He talked slowly giving her time to recover. Her cheeks were only slightly red by time he finished. "What brings you to Japan?"

She smiled. "Long story...I'm studying here."

"That seemed like a short story to me," he responded. She laughed. He couldn't help but smile at the sound. "So, you '_love_' this exhibit?"

Erin looked around "I just...I don't know. There's something fantastic about the story of Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Rin. I heard about it in one of my history classes. I saw a flier for the festival and saw they had an exhibit with Sesshomaru and Rin stuff, so I took the weekend off of work to come to the festival. Maybe they story is only a fairy tale, but...but I love it. "

"If I recall correctly, Rin was also an orphan," he said.

Erin frowned. "I guess it's pretty obvious to see why I like the story, huh? ...orphan girl trying to be more than she was. I guess that makes me pretty shallow."

_Idiot._ Seth inwardly signed. This girl wasn't going to be an easy one to talk too. _Not that I've ever been good at talking with women._ "No. I'm sure there are more reasons you enjoy the tale." She didn't look back at him. "I always enjoyed the story when I was a kid because my mom added a lot of action to it. I think that makes _me_ the shallow one."

She looked up at him and gave him a small smile. "Thanks, but you're probably right. A girl who has nothing suddenly has a title and fortune. What girl wouldn't fall in love with that story?"

"Actually, I believe the Lady Rin had something special _before_ she had a title or fortune," a woman's voice in Japanese came from behind them. Seth turned to look at the voice's owner and saw that Erin did the same. The woman had dark hair and eyes and was very thin and muscular. He'd have to guess that she was somewhere in her thirties. She wore a dark blue dress-suit with a logo on it identifying her as one of the museum's staff members. "Lady Rin was a human girl who was able to win the heart of a terrifying demon lord. She definitely had something- boldness, determination, and beauty."

Erin smiled. "That's one way to look at it."

The woman looked between the two of them for a moment with a curious look on her face. "Is something the matter?" Seth asked.

The woman blinked at his question. "No, you two look like a couple I once knew. Are you together?"

Seth was about to respond that she was being rude, but Erin answered first. "No, we just met."

She nodded. "Forgive me for interrupting your conversation. I wanted to notify you that the museum is closing in a few minutes." She turned and headed back the way she came.

"Thank you," they responded as she left. Erin looked over at him and shrugged. She must have been thinking the same thing he was. _What a weirdo._

The woman suddenly turned around and walked back towards them. "If you're interested in the Sesshomaru exhibit, I'm sure that Curator Nishi would love to give you a private tour of the exhibit. She's always looking for people to impart her knowledge of Sesshomaru too."

"A private tour?" Erin responded obviously interested.

"I can personally guarantee you that she would show you a few of the artifacts in storage also. Including Lord Sesshomaru's swords."

"Really?" the young woman beside him practically squealed.

"She really has Sesshomaru's swords?" Seth frowned in doubt.

The woman nodded. "Interested? I can schedule you to meet with her in the morning...at 9am."

"I'm interested. What about you Seth? Are you free tomorrow?"

He looked at Erin's eager face. He was leery of the whole arrangement, but he _was_ interested in seeing Erin again. "Sure. We'll be back in the morning."

"Great!" Erin exclaimed.

The woman simply nodded. "I'll inform the curator. You won't be disappointed." She turned and left.

"Did she seem odd to you?" he asked.

Erin shrugged. "A little. But isn't this exciting? We're going to see the stuff in storage!"

He couldn't help but chuckle at her excitement. "It'll be interesting," he said skeptically.

"It was nice meeting you Seth." She smiled again that bright smile. "Hey! Do you want to go to the festival with me? It's still going on outside for a while. I'm starving. Are you hungry? They have some really good food vendors come in for the festival."

Again amazed at how fast she talked, he smiled. "Sure. I am rather hungry." She motioned for him to follow her and they headed for the exit.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The dark-haired woman headed back towards the front lobby of the museum and watched as the couple she had been talking to walked out of the building. She felt like she had seen a ghost. _That woman looked just like my mother...just like her! _She had seen the man with her when he walked in, but she hadn't noticed his resemblance to her father until she saw him standing beside the girl.

"Did you see that girl?" a voice said from behind her. She turned to see the head guard standing behind her. "She looked just like your mom Ry." He walked up beside her and leaned on the lobby's counter.

Ryomi nodded. "I saw her Yemon. The man with her looked like Father too."

The guard frowned. "Really? I didn't see that one."

"Have you ever seen Kenchiro during the new moon? When he has dark hair?" Yemon frowned in concentration. "That's what made the connection for me. Ken is the splitting image of Father, and that man looked like them."

"I should have looked closer at him."

She leaned back on the lobby's counter beside him. "Well, you can get a better look tomorrow. I invited them back for a private tour of the Sesshomaru exhibit."

Yemon frowned. "You know you're going to look completely different tomorrow."

"No duh stupid. I told them that the curator was going to show them around. They won't know that it's me tomorrow." It was the night of the new moon, so Ryomi looked completely human at the moment. When the sun came up in the morning, her now-dark hair and eyes would return to their normal colors.

"I see. So, why did you offer them this private tour? You're not really the outgoing public relations type."

"I have a feeling about them. It has to be more than coincidence."

Yemon sighed. "Come on Ry. You don't think that they're the reincarnation of your parents, do you? How many people have we seen over the years that you thought were the reincarnations of your parents?"

She narrowed her eyes at the guard's tone. "Those were all just people who looked like them until I got closer. _These_ two look like them though, _really_ look like them. Besides, the 24th is only a few weeks away. How do you know that fate didn't send them this way to help us?"

"Now you're grabbing at thin air." He pushed off the counter and walked towards the door while pulling his guard's hat further down over his ears. "I'm going to walk around outside for a while until it clears out. I'll meet you upstairs in a bit."

She frowned at his back annoyed at his dismissal of her theory. "Fine. See you up there."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"I've been waiting for this festival for the last two weeks!" Erin said as she popped a pork dumpling into her mouth. "I've never been a huge history fan, but there's something about the feudal era that just...speaks to me! You know? I look at everyone dressed up and the shows and the whole atmosphere, and I think, 'Wow, I wish I lived during this time.'"

Seth sat back in his chair. They had both gotten something to eat and found a table to sit at near the edge of the courtyard where the festival was located. The museum had been built on a hill, so they had a nice view of the city around them. "You wouldn't miss the modern conveniences of indoor plumbing, cars, computers?" He took a bite of the shrimp meal he had purchased.

The girl smiled. "Nah. I think I'd be fine without."

"And what would you do? Farm?"

"No! I'd..." She laughed. "I don't know! I'd train as a ninja!"

Seth almost choked on a piece of shrimp at her words. "You'd be the least-frightening ninja there ever was," he responded smartly.

She wrinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue at him. "So, what about you? If you lived in the feudal era, what would you do? Be a lame farmer?"

"If it paid well." Erin rolled her eyes at his comment. "Or, perhaps I'd be a samurai."

She laughed. "See! I knew you had an imagination!" They sat there for a moment in silence. _What is it about this girl?_ As they spent more of the evening together, he found that he was enjoying her company. She reminded him of his younger sister, but there was something more there. She had a bright spirit that craved adventure but that was also very fragile. It made him.. He wasn't sure how to describe it. _It's like she's inviting me to...escape. _She obviously wasn't grounded in reality. She was a daydreamer and obviously unhappy with her current life. _Not my type at all._ Even though Erin was attractive and had a great smile, Seth was more interested in a stable woman who understood the importance of business and organization. He needed a woman who could jump into the family business with him and help him when he asked...not a daydreamer.

"What are you studying?" he asked finally breaking the silence.

The girl bit her lip and looked away towards the cityscape. "Not sure yet."

"Not sure?"

She shrugged and turned back to him. "I know- I should have decided by now. I'll be a junior in the fall, and I haven't decided on a major yet."

"What classes have you taken?" he asked. _How can you be a junior and have no idea what you're going to school for?_

"Mostly general classes, some electives. I just don't know what to do...what I want to be."

"Hasn't your family given you any ideas?"

She gave him an annoyed glare. "There is no family. My mom, the lady who adopted me, died a few years ago. I took the money she left me and came here. I didn't really want to go to college to learn anything in particular...I just wanted to come here."

"I'm sorry." He felt guilty at upsetting her...again. She _had_ told him earlier that she was an orphan. "Why here?"

She looked down at her empty food tray and shrugged. "The thought of going to Japan always excited me, besides being back home was a constant reminder that I was alone. Here...I've made some friends. My roommates aren't bad. I just thought maybe I'd find more here."

"But you haven't?"

Erin looked up. "Are you always this rude?"

Seth blinked in surprise at her words. "Do always take offense so easily to everything?"

"No, just smart-alec _business men _who think that because they have more money, they're better than everyone else!"

"At least I have some motivation to do something with my life!" Seth sneered back. _I'm the rude one?_

"You said your family owns a business here! You were _sent_ here, weren't you? Your family tells you what to do, where to go, and how you're to live the rest of your life, huh? I bet your mom picked out what you're wearing! At least I had the _motivation_ to leave my home town, and it was _my _decision."

"You-" he was at a lack of words. He'd never had someone put him down like that.

"I can do _anything _with my life that I want!" she snapped back continuing her rant. "And I could be a ninja if I wanted too!" There was silence between them before Erin broke into laughter. Seth couldn't help but smile after a moment. Her laughter was contagious. "I'm sorry," she said sweetly. "That was uncalled for."

"Point taken though." She looked up surprised. Seth meant it. He had never had his life presented to him in that way.

"Same here," she responded with a bashful smile. "I really do need to figure out what I'm doing with myself. You're lucky you know – having a family to help you along. Maybe you don't have as much freedom, but you're really lucky."

_Freedom... _He nodded. "Thank you. I'm sure your friends and roommates could give you advice if you needed it."

"Trust me! Their advice has always gotten me into more trouble than it's helped." She sighed and looked out towards the city. "What about you? You've been in business all your life. What do you think I should do?"

Seth blinked in surprise. "What do _I_ think? I've just met you."

She shrugged bashfully. "I thought that maybe you'd have some ideas," she said in a disappointed tone.

He frowned. "Look Erin. Maybe I could offer you some ideas if I knew you better, but you'd be better off talking to your class adviser. I'm not the right person to get advice from."

"I see..." Seth inwardly frowned. He knew he had disappointed her. Suddenly she smiled at him and leaned forward on the table. "Well, maybe by the end of the weekend, you'll know me well enough to give me some ideas!"

He raised an eyebrow and tried to digest her words. "'End of the weekend'?"

"Well, yeah! You're off of work until Monday, right? What else are you going to do all weekend? You might as well spend it with me. I know lots of fun things to do around here, and the festival is going on all weekend-"

"I'm interested in joining you for the tour in the morning," he interrupted, "but beyond that, it really depends on-"

"On your schedule?" she said sarcastically. "You just got here! Don't tell me you came all the way to the other side of the world to sit in an office!"

Seth sat there dumbfounded for a moment rolling the possibilities in his head. The young woman sat in front of him with a defiant look upon her face. Her dark hair moved wildly in the breeze completing the picture of a truly independent woman. _Why not Seth?_ "It depends on if my Grandfather calls on me," he finished smoothly. "He was expecting me this weekend, it would considered dishonorable to ignore him."

The fire in Erin's eyes seemed to dim slightly. "I see," she said not giving away what she was thinking. _Is she mad or disappointed?_

"If I ask to have the weekend to relax though, he may not have a problem with that. He knows I always enjoyed this festival as a child." Erin's face suddenly lit up, and it broke into a large smile. Seth felt a satisfaction and being able to turn her mood around like that. "I'm sure my Grandmother will complain about it for the next three weeks though."

"Three weeks? Is that how long you're here for?"

Seth narrowed his eyes. "Yes, but I'm only promising you the weekend."

She smiled and gave him a small laugh. "I was just asking."

"And I don't want to be drug all over the island," he said sternly.

"Of course not." She leaned back in her chair. Her eyes held that defiant fire again. "This is _your_ weekend of freedom. We'll do whatever you like...and with me, I'll promise you that you'll have a great time! And by the end of the weekend, maybe you'll know me better and can give me advice on my major! I'll consider it your payment for me entertaining you this weekend!"

He gave her a skeptical look. _Entertaining may not be the word...more like driving me crazy. _"I still think your foolish putting your future in the hands of a stranger."

Erin smiled her amazing smile again. "What other choice do I have but to trust you? Besides, you don't seem _that_ bad," she said. The two of them sat there in silence for a few moments. Seth looked her over again. "Well..." she broke the silence. "We have a busy weekend ahead, so we should probably call it a night." She stood up and stretched.

He nodded. "Do you need a ride home?"

"No, my apartment's only a few blocks that way. I'll walk."

"But it's late."

"I'll be fine," she replied.

"You don't know what kind of creeps are-"

"Okay! Will it make you happy if I text you when I get home?"

He frowned. She wasn't getting the point. "I could walk you home."

"No. My roommates won't be happy if I showed some strange guy I just met where we lived."

Seth inwardly sighed. "Fine. Text me." He wasn't happy about letting her go off alone, but he knew she wouldn't give in. They swapped phone numbers.

"Nice phone," Erin said as she put her own cell phone back into her purse. "I'll text you. See you in the morning!" The girl waved and headed down into the courtyard where the festival was closing up for the evening. Seth watched her go. He had a nagging feeling that he should follow her, but decided that he'd better not. He didn't want her to think he was a stalker. He headed back towards his own car. Halfway home, his phone beeped. He looked down at it.

**made it just fine! see u 2morrow**

Relief swept over him. _Why am I so worked up over this girl?_ Maybe it was because she reminded him of his little sister. _Yeah, that has to be it. I would have done the same for Karina..._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Ryomi stood on the top of her home and looked down at the courtyard below. She had opened the museum a few centuries ago as a way to locate demons. She had some powerful demonic artifacts on display there. Humans didn't see it as anything more than art and history, but demons would come out of the shadows to try to gain more power. Many times Ryomi would be able to convince the demons to leave the human lands and go join the rest of their kind, other times...well, some demons were only interested in power. Yemon and she put a quick end to those types of creatures. She sighed and leaned further over the wall that encircled the flat-topped section of the building that she was standing on. It was a decision that she still regretted at times. Choosing to live with the humans of the Western Lands often bored her, and she thought many times about going to join her siblings, but she never did. She always stayed here.

She did enjoy being around the humans though. They made her feel more powerful..._I after all am only a half-demon. _But it was more than that – she knew her parents would have never gone into hiding like the rest of the demons had. The humans now had weapons that could easily defeat them; demons were no longer the guardians of the lands, so they all cowered in their sanctuaries. _Father wouldn't have left his lands, so I won't either._ She felt it was her duty to be the guardian of her father's lands, even if none of the humans had asked her to be.

She turned her head when she heard the roof's door creep open. She frowned when she saw the creature that emerged. _Damn cat. Leave me alone._ The silver-haired feline crept across the roof and hopped up on the wall beside her. "Any special instructions for me tonight?"

"No Meiling." The cat demon was from China and had _unfortunately_ attached herself to Ryomi and Yemon. She had been part of a group of demons that fled to the island looking for a place to hide from the humans. Ryomi offered them a place in the dog demon's mountain sanctuary. Meiling had downright refused to go live among the dog demons, but the rest had accepted the offer. So the cat demon requested to stay with Ryomi. She of course had pointed out that the she and Yemon were also dog demons, but it hadn't mattered. They came up with an agreement, Meiling could stay with them if she cleaned their home in the top floor of the museum during the day and the rest of the museum at night. She had agreed. At first, the arrangement worked for them, but after a few decades, Ryomi's patience with the cat had worn thin. "Skip cleaning the offices downstairs. Make sure the exhibit areas are spotless. We have a lot of tourists coming through during the festival."

"Sure," Meiling responded. She stretched her front legs and then laid down on the wall. "May I ask you a question?" Ryomi didn't respond. "Why have you been so cranky lately? You and Yemon get into a lovers quarrel?" The half-dog demon swatted at her, but the cat was fast enough to dodge it. "I was only asking a question!"

"I was just testing the theory that you'd land on all four feet," Ryomi replied sarcastically.

"Jeez, what's your problem? It's obvious that he has a thing for you; why do you push him away?"

Ryomi felt her chest sink at the question. _There's lots of reasons. _"Look, we've been over this before. Yemon is my guard. That's all. That's all he'll every be. He's more like my brother anyways."

The cat scoffed. "Sure, I've heard that one before." She jumped off the wall transforming into her humanoid form in midair and landing on two feet. She would have trouble passing for a human. Her silver hair was cut short falling just below her pointed ears but not covering them. She was too short and thin for a human, and she always dressed scantily. A human woman that dressed like that would be called a whore.

"Now go about your duties, and if you continue to address me in such a disrespectful attitude, I'll let Yemon have his way with you," Ryomi said shortly looking back at the cityscape.

"I'd rather die than let that dog touch me," Meiling replied prissily.

"I'm sure he'd enjoy making that happen."

"Whatever. One of these days, I'm just going to disappear, and you'll miss me."

"Unlikely," Yemon's voice came from behind them. "Scat cat."

"Shut it. I'm leaving. Go tend to your precious princess. She's cranky."

Ryomi's fine-tuned hearing told her that Meiling was heading back down the stairs and Yemon was coming closer. She didn't turn around. After a moment, the dog demon showed up beside her and leaned his back against the wall beside her. "I wish you'd just get rid of her."

She turned to look at him. "She serves a purpose. Besides, you enjoy arguing with her."

He tipped his head sideways. "I guess it's the closest thing I get to a real battle nowadays." He smirked. "She is right though. You have been cranky."

"Thanks," she scowled and turned back away from him.

"Just saying," he grumbled back. After a few moments, he continued. "You're so good at keeping your emotions inside. It's odd to see you like this." There was silence for a few minutes and the two of them just stood there. Ryomi inwardly sighed. _What does he expect in circumstances like this? _He turned around to lean on the wall beside her. "You should just enjoy the festival. It could be the last one."

She nodded hollowly. _Three weeks...that's all that's left. We've waited centuries for this, and now as it gets closer, I dread every passing second._ June 24th, 2000. That was the date that her father was supposed to have died, but the time line had changed. _So now we'll either be successful in stopping this demonic storm, or we'll all die in his place. _Either way, she was terrified. She had tried to hide it, but Yemon and Meiling were picking up on it. The cat demon saw it as her just being cranky. She wondered if Yemon saw through her act though. _Is he feeling the same thing? _If they were successful, she had to send back a message with her Aunt Kagome. Her and Yemon had spent many many nights discussing what exactly the message should say. She still wasn't sure about it. She wasn't sure about anything at this point. _Maybe it would just be easier to die._ "Monday I want to go through the battle plan again."

She glanced over at Yemon to see he was frowning at her. "We've been through it a million times Ry. It's good. We don't need to go over it again."

"A lot of people's lives depend on it. Forgive me for wanting to go through it again," she said angrily.

"We're not changing it," he said forcefully back to her. "We're not changing _any_ of our plans. We agreed to do this Ry, and we're not backing down!"

"I never said I was!" she yelled back.

"Then cool it! What are you so freaked out about? Quit worrying about it and just do as we planned."

"Easy for you to say. You don't have a heart."

"Damn it. I don't have to take this." He smacked the wall and then pushed away leaving her to stand there alone. She stood there silently waiting for him to come back. She knew he wouldn't walk away. He wouldn't leave her there alone. She knew that. She knew that he...that he...

She suddenly felt the dog demon's hands on her shoulders. She felt his forehead gently touch the back of her head. "No regrets Ryomi. We agreed to live with no regrets about changing everything. You can't back out on me now."

She gently nodded, feeling his head move with hers. _No, I'm not going to change things now. _It was hard though. They had become so close, to the point that Ryomi didn't know if could live without her dog demon guard, but they had agreed to live without regrets...so they lived not doing anything that they would regret changing. _Everything will change when we send back the new message with Kagome._ "I'm not backing out."

"Good." She could feel his warm breath on the back of her head. His thumbs moved across her shoulders as they stood there. She let it go on for a few moments enjoying the physical connection. _Enough._

She pushed back away from the wall and turned so she was no longer in his grip. "All that's left is three weeks. I want to go through the battle plan again before then – to make sure we didn't miss anything. I'm not changing my mind. I just want to make sure we didn't miss anything."

He face held a look of uncertainty, but he nodded. "Sure."

She nodded back feeling awkward. "Okay. Well. Good night. Tomorrow's going to be a long day." She walked passed him and headed toward the stairway door.

His voice trailed behind her. "Good night Princess."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

**Modern Era – June 3rd, 2000**

Erin left a note on the table saying she was going to be out for the day. She figured that both of her roommates already knew that. She had requested the weekend off of work to go to the festival, but she wanted to leave them a reminder so they didn't worry. Moeko had already left for work. She was native here and helped Erin get her job. The Japanese girl and Erin had become quick friends. Stephanie, on the other hand, was extremely lazy. The girl was also an U.S. exchange student and was from California. She didn't work and spent most of her time outside of school either partying or sleeping. It was no surprise to Erin that her bedroom door was still shut. The two of them got along pretty well, but Erin wished that the other was a little cleaner.

She collected her purse and headed out the door towards the museum. It was only a little after 8am, but she wanted to get there early. The girl couldn't help but smile as she walked down the sidewalk. She was very excited about getting a private tour of the Sesshomaru exhibit. It made it even better that she was sharing the tour with Seth. At first, he had come across as kind of rude and stuck-up, but after their little spat last night, he had softened up. _Which is good. As long as he knows that I can hold my own in an argument._ She didn't know why, but she felt like she had something to prove to him. His family had money, and he was set for life. She wanted him to see that she was just as good as he was, especially because she had to work for everything she had.

She had thought about what he had said for a long time before she had finally fell asleep. _What am I doing with my life? _She was smart. She knew that, and she knew that she could really do anything she wanted if she put her mind to it. _So why can't I find something I want to do? It's not like the answer is going to fall on my lap. _She had figured out one thing last night though, she _liked _him. Rude business man or not, she liked him. That was the most confusing to her over all. She had only known him a few hours and wasn't the type to take an interest in a guy that quickly. She had had enough bad relationships in the past to make her cautious about guys. But Seth...he intrigued her. She just wanted to shake up his perfect life. Maybe that would turn him off. She could imagine them getting into another argument and him walking off. But maybe it would challenge him and make him see things differently. And if he did..._well, a guy who can take advice, learn, and grow is something special. _Most guys that she knew were idiots or jerks. It was nice to meet a guy who listened to her opinion. And if he didn't...she expected to have a great weekend with or without him.

She walked into the museum's courtyard and looked around. Vendors were beginning to set-up their stands for the day. The woman walked around for a few minutes gazing at the goods that were for sale. She stopped to look at a beaded necklace. It had black beads with a blue crescent moon pendant. _Pretty._ She picked up the necklace and glanced at the price tag. _But too much._ With a smile she sat it back down and smiled at the vendor.

"You're here early," a voice said from behind her. She spun around with a smile recognizing Seth's voice.

"So are you!" She looked him over to see he was dressed smartly in a pair of khakis and a gray button-up shirt. It was short-sleeved, so she could easily how white he was. She assumed he didn't spend much time outdoors in the sun. _This is probably dressing-down for him. _

"I came in attempt to find a good cup of coffee, but all I can find is tea," Seth replied sourly.

She smiled. "I know a great coffee shop. I'll have to take you there."

"Really? I didn't think they knew how to make a good cup of coffee here."

"_I_ work there, so I'll make you the perfect cup of coffee," she replied.

She had the pleasure of seeing surprise cross his face. "I'll hold you to that."

"My Lady?" Rin turned around to find the vendor she smiled at earlier standing there behind her. He was an older, shorter man. She thought maybe she misunderstood him.

"Excuse me?" she asked in Japanese. 

His accent was thick, so she was having trouble understanding his fast-paced Japanese. "My Lady! I knew it must be you. The others didn't think so, but I knew it must be you."

She frowned, confused. "I'm sorry, but you must have me mistaken for someone else," she replied.

"Oh!" he said frowning. "Ah! I see. You're in hiding. I'll remain quiet. Are you here to see Lady Ryomi? What of Lord Sesshomaru?"

Erin blinked. _He talks faster than I do!_ "I, um, I'm here to see the Sesshomaru exhibit if that's what you mean."

"Is he bothering you?" Seth asked over her shoulder.

She slightly shook her head as the vendor replied. "I see. You don't want anyone to know. I'll keep your secret My Lady. I'll tell no one that I saw you. Most think you're dead anyhow." Erin felt her jaw drop. _What is he talking about? _"Here!" He pulled the necklace that she was looking at earlier out of his pocket. "Please, take this as a gift!"

"Uh...I couldn't." She took a step back.

Seth took a step forward beside her. "Look creep. Leave her alone," he said moving in between them.

The short man inhaled swiftly. "Could it be?" He squinted his eyes and took a step closer to Seth. "No...you're human, but..."

Seth glanced over his shoulder at her, but Erin shrugged. _This is getting weird._ "Um, thanks for the offer, but I really do think you have us confused for someone else."

The man side stepped around Seth back to Erin. She was surprised at how quick the old man moved. "I'm sorry to have disgraced you. Please, please accept this as an apology." He bowed his head and held up the necklace.

She looked at Seth bewildered. "Take it. Maybe he'll leave us alone," he said quietly in English.

"But what if he accuses me of stealing it!" she responded back.

He shrugged. "I think there's enough witnesses here to say otherwise." She glanced around and noticed the number of people watching. _We're causing a scene!_

She reached out and gingerly took the necklace. "Thank you," she said truly meaning it.

The old man smiled and bowed again. "My honor My Lady." He turned to Seth and bowed also. "My Lord." He then rushed back to his booth. She saw a few of the other vendors walk up to him.

"Let's get moving," Seth said. He put his hand on her back and ushered her towards the museum's entrance. Erin dropped the necklace into her pocket. The pair walked into the building's front door to find they were still locked. "We're early." He peered at sign at the door. She moved her head to look beside him. The museum opened at 9am.

She turned to look at him, brushing his cheek with her bangs. She immediately moved back a few inches at the touch. "It seems kind of odd to for the curator to agree to meet with us the first thing in the morning...especially with a big event like this going on." He nodded, and she noticed him checking her out again..._men!_

He broke the eye contact and turned towards the door. Erin followed suit as she noticed a guard approach them. He opened the door and stepped into the frame holding the door open. "You're here to see Curator Nishi, right?" Erin nodded. He motioned them in holding the door for them. "Come on in." The guard was wearing the same blue uniform that the rest of the museum employees wore. He wore a cap, like a police cap, pushed down over his shaggy, dark hair. He ushered him up to the front desk where two women were standing.

The first woman was a young woman probably in her twenties sitting at the desk. She was listening very intently to what the second woman was saying. The second woman was turned away. She again was wearing the blue museum colors; this time a dress jacket and a skirt. From the back, Erin could see she had white hair tied up into a bun at the back of her neck. She wore a blue hat also. It almost reminded her of a airplane stewardess' hat but more stylish. "Don't page me unless it's necessary," the woman was saying.

The guard stopped. "They're here."

The second woman turned around, and Erin blinked in surprise. The woman looked to be much younger than what she had originally thought, maybe in her late thirties or early forties. She wore a pair of tinted glasses making her eyes look a funny shade of light brown. Erin wondered if they were like the sunglasses that lightened up indoors. The woman looked them over and then smiled. "Welcome. I'm Ryomi Nishi, the curator here," she bowed her head slightly.

"Ryomi? You must be who that man was talking about," Erin said.

"Excuse me?" the curator asked.

"There was a vendor who asked if we were here to meet with you. At that time, we didn't know your name was Ryomi," Seth responded. Erin didn't miss the woman glance at the guard with a concerned look.

"Some of the vendors are...a little odd," she said turning back to them. "Pay no attention to anything that was said." She motioned to the guard standing beside her. "This is Yemon. He'll be joining us on the tour...simply because he has the keys to everything." He gave them a nod.

"Thank you for taking the time for showing us around!" Erin said excitedly. She was getting really pumped-up. "I'm really surprised you agreed to show us around while you have the festival going on out there!"

"Sesshomaru holds a dear place in my heart," she said softly. "Let's get started, shall we?" She turned and lead them down the hall. The guard followed close behind them. "I apologize," she said as they walked. "I didn't ask for your names."

"I'm Erin Hana."

"Seth West."

"Where are you from?"

"We're both from Massachusetts in the U.S.," Erin replied.

"Seth and Erin both from America, both here in Japan now," Curator Nishi echoed. She glanced at the guard again. Erin wondered at their odd behavior. "So, why are you interested in Sesshomaru?" she asked as she turned the corner entering the exhibit.

"Well," Erin started. "I think the story is really neat. You know, a classic fairy tale."

The woman turned around and nodded. "And you Seth?"

He didn't respond for a moment. "The story is a personal favorite of my father's. And what about you, Madame Curator?"

She smiled at his response. "Call me Ryomi." She looked around here. "Most of the items in this museum were personal belongings of my family. Somewhere back down the line, we had connections to the demon lord."

"How did your family get his belongings?" Erin asked.

"They're just replicas," Seth said. She felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment at his answer.

"Some of the items are only replicas, but some are real. I'll show you the really neat stuff later," she said with a sly smile. "First, let me tell you the story. Some you may know, some may be new to you." The curator began walking around the exhibit telling them story of Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Rin. She described how the human girl began following the demon lord after he returned her to life and how she continued to follow him as he campaigned against the evil Naraku. Erin was awed at the power that Ryomi described Sesshomaru having. As she looked at the various pictures of the dog demon, she noted that some of them slightly resembled Seth. She smiled at the thought of her new friend looking like the powerful Sesshomaru. Ryomi continued to tell them about Sesshomaru finally taking Rin to stay in his castle and over time how the human woman became his adviser on humans.

"Why not wipe them out?" Seth asked.

Ryomi narrowed her eyes at the comment. "Why start a civil war in your lands?"

"The demons could have easily defeated the humans if they were as powerful as your saying," he responded.

"The humans had their ways of subduing the demons," the guard, Yemon, spoke up. "With demon slayers and priests, sometimes they were quite a challenge for the demons."

"That's why this story is so hard to believe," Seth responded with a frown. "No offense, but there are many scholars who claim this story is rooted in some truth. None can tell why the demons are all gone now though."

"And what's your theory?" Ryomi asked with a frown. She looked insulted. Erin hoped Seth wasn't making the curator mad. She really did want to see the items in storage.

Seth shrugged. "Perhaps Sesshomaru was real, but I think he was no more than a powerful human. If you have enough riches and power, people will believe anything you tell them..." He motioned to the pictures of Sesshomaru defeating large demons. "...including stories about how you conquered monsters."

The curator raised an eyebrow. "Interesting theory. One many share with you." She turned back to the exhibit. "Regardless, I'll continue to tell you the story as _I _know it." Erin glanced at Seth and gave him a smile as he looked at her. He sighed and rolled his eyes. They followed the curator on through the exhibit. She continued the story telling how the demon lord and the human woman fell in love and united the humans and demons in the land for decades to come. Nobunaga's army finally marched into Sesshomaru's lands defeating the demons in his own attempt to unite Japan.

"How was someone as powerful as Sesshomaru defeated?" Erin asked as she looked over a display showing a replica of the demon lord's armor.

Ryomi visibly sighed at the question. Erin wondered if she had upset her at the question. Seth had questioned her a lot about the truth in the story during the tour. "There are many theories, but the truth is a closely guarded secret. Nobunaga found Sesshomaru's weakness."

"Which was?" Seth asked.

The woman glanced over a the guard and then back at them. "As promised, I'll show you the items in storage...including that weakness." She nodded at the guard and he lead them down a back hallway. Some of the other staff members watched as they walked by. Erin wondered if other guests got to go back there very often. They finally stopped at a locked door. Yemon unlocked it and led the way down a flight of wooden stairs. The curator followed and flicked on a set of switches on the stairway. The room below lit up.

Seth faltered for a moment and then started after them. "Stick close," he said over his shoulder to Erin. He grabbed her right hand in his own and pulled her close behind him. She felt her cheeks turn red at the contact. The group arrived in a large storage cellar.

Erin looked around at the boxes and crates scattered around the room. "What is all of this stuff?"

"My private collection," Ryomi said. "Some things aren't for the public to see."

Seth let go of her hand, but he still stood very close to her. Erin could tell he was uneasy. "So why are you showing it to us?"

"I think you'd be very interested," the white-haired woman responded and walked further into the room. "This way." She led them to a table further into the room and then moved to set a box up on it.

"You're going to freak them out," Yemon said.

"Quiet," Ryomi snapped back. Erin took a step closer to Seth feeling a bit unsure at the guard's statement. The curator opened the box to reveal a scroll tied in a plastic bag. "There are many paintings and portraits of Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Rin. This one," she said as she took the scroll from the bag, "is the most accurate. It was painted while they were still alive."

"So why keep it down here?" Erin asked as she began to unroll it.

"To protect it. It...it was a gift from my sister. I don't want it to fade or be damaged." Ryomi finished unrolling it. "Take a look."

Erin and Seth slowly stepped around the table to look at the painting. _Holy shit!_ Erin felt like she was looking in a mirror. _She looks just like me._ "You're right. I'm freaked out," she choked out.

"Is this a joke?" Seth asked.

Ryomi shook her head. "Not at all. Why do you think I said you'd be interested?"

"That's why the girl last night said we looked like a couple she knew," Seth said. "She'd seen this before?" Ryomi nodded. "What about that vendor outside?"

"He saw a resemblance?"

"He called me 'My Lady'," Erin said.

"I can't speak for him," the curator replied. "He may have seen a similar picture. Many of those vendors are half crazy if you ask me."

"So what does this mean?" Erin asked staring at the picture. "Does mean I may be an descendant of Rin?"

"Unlikely," Ryomi responded, "but it could mean you're a reincarnation."

"Also unlikely," Yemon said shortly. "It's most likely coincidence."

"You kind of look like Sesshomaru, Seth," Erin said.

"I noticed that too," Ryomi agreed.

"I don't see it," he responded sourly. "I agree with the guard. Coincidence."

Erin gave him a shrug and a smile. "It doesn't hurt to speculate."

"It does if it gets you harassed all weekend," he said shortly.

"This picture has only been seen by a few people," Ryomi responded and she replaced the scroll into its container. "You shouldn't be bothered by too many people." She moved to replace the box in one of the nearby shelves and pulled down another box.

"This – I don't agree with," Yemon said sternly. "What are you doing Ry?"

"Just be quiet," she said as she placed the box on the table.

He placed his hand on the box on top of Ryomi's. "Look, they may think the demon stuff is a hoax, but you and I know better. This has a seal on it for a reason," he said softly, but Erin could still hear him.

"Trust me," Ryomi said pushing his hand away. Erin felt Seth take her arm in his hand. _He's not sure about this either... _

The guard took a step back and crossed his arms. "Yeah, where have I heard that before?" he said grumbling.

The curator moved her hand across the long, narrow box. "It's been a long time since we've opened this."

"What is it?" Seth asked.

"Sesshomaru's weakness," she responded. With a long fingernail, she split the paper seal on the box and opened the lid. There inside laid a sword. "Bakusaiga."

Erin took a step closer. The silver blade was engraved with a delicate pattern on one side. "It's beautiful."

"This is _the_ Bakusaiga?" Seth asked. "Sesshomaru's sword?"

Ryomi nodded. "The one and only. The fact that I have it is another closely guarded secret. While the Bakusaiga lays powerless, his other sword still is very powerful. No one can know I have them."

"You have more?" Seth asked surprised. "How do you know they were his?"

"As I said, they were...handed down through my family. I have all four swords: Bakusaiga, Raisaiga, Tensaiga, and Rin's Kiryoku," Ryomi said with obvious pride.

"Ry..." Yemon said obviously not happy with her showing off the swords.

"Ssh Yemon!"

"Why did you say Bakusaiga is lifeless?" Erin asked. She couldn't tear her eyes off of the blade. Something inside her told her that the sword was still powerful.

"Bakusaiga was created to protect Lady Rin. The sword was connected to her. If she died, the sword died. The sword also had the power to steal a demon's power. When used against a demon enemy, the sword would keep the demon from regenerating. In Rin's case...when she carried it, it made her immortal. Bakusaiga never wished to die, so it stole Sesshomaru's power and fed it to Lady Rin in order to keep her alive."

"So how was it Sesshomaru's weakness?" Seth asked.

"They discovered that the immortality also held a curse. If Rin was injured in battle, the sword immediately would heal her, stealing power from Sesshomaru. In most cases, this was not a problem for the demon lord, but when he was also fighting against demon slayers and a priestess, the loss of power was too much. Nobunaga somehow learned of his secret, and in Sesshomaru's final battle, they used this against him," Ryomi explained. "He never should have taken her into battle with him."

_Touch it..._ Erin felt a weird sensation staring at the sword. She couldn't help but reach out. "Can I touch it?"

"No." Seth and Yemon said in unison.

"Go ahead," Ryomi said softly beside her.

Erin took a step closer and ran her finger along the blade. It was cold to the touch. "It's...it's perfect."

The curator nodded. "The last piece of Sesshomaru," she said sadly.

Erin took a step back and looked at the woman. "You act like you knew him. Was he that close to your family?"

Suddenly the sword pulsed. Erin took a step back, running into Seth as it pulsed again. "What...?"

Ryomi and Yemon must have noticed it too. They both looked at the blade. "Close it," Yemon said sharply. She closed the box's lid. "You have more seals?" he asked.

"On the shelf," she responded. The guard took the sword and placed more of the paper seals on the box.

"What is it?" Seth demanded.

Erin spun around to look up at him. "You didn't see it?"

"See what?"

"The sword! It...it shook!"

"I must have bumped the table," Yemon responded. "Nothing more." Erin frowned. She knew it was more than that. She saw it on Ryomi's face. "Shall we move on?" the guard asked.

Erin was about to ask about seeing the other swords, but decided against it. After seeing how Yemon reacted to that one, she knew he'd refuse to let them see the others. _I know I saw it move._ "Do you have any other items of Sesshomaru's to show us?"

Ryomi smiled. "I've shown you what I have including telling you all of his secrets. I hope you enjoyed the tour."

"Thank you," Erin said. "I really enjoyed it."

Seth nodded beside her. "Yes, thank you."

"I'll have Yemon show you out. Feel free to stop back at any time. It's been nice meeting you," Ryomi said. "I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the festival."

They followed the guard out into the museum towards the Sesshomaru exhibit. "I hope you enjoyed your time here this morning. Have a good day." He left them standing there and returned to the back hall.

"That was odd end to the tour," Seth said after a moment.

Erin nodded still thinking about everything they had seen down in the cellar. She glanced down at her watch. The tour had lasted nearly three hours. "Well, are you hungry?" she asked trying to push the weirdness of it all out of her head. "I know some good places to eat around here."

The man beside her nodded. "Sure."

"Great! Do you want to drive?" _Truthfully, I just want to get away from here for a little while. _She followed him towards his car.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Ryomi sat in her office turning over what happened in her head as Yemon barged in. She caught his eyes as he swiftly entered the room and shut the door behind him. He looked, as usual, unhappy. "What the hell was that?"

"Which _'that' _are you talking about?" she asked flatly and leaned back in her chair.

The demon frowned and flopped down into one of the padded chairs in front of her desk. "Bakusaiga for starters."

She hesitated in answering, wondering how to phrase her words. "I think we woke it up."

"Obviously," he sneered. "Did you know that was going to happen?" She shook her head. "Ry...!"

"Alright!" she yelled back throwing up her hands. "I had a hunch. I wanted to see if the sword would respond to her."

"Damn it Ryomi! Then why didn't you wait until after the festival? Who knows how many demons are out there in that courtyard right now! How many of them can sense the sword's power?" Yemon yelled.

She glared at her long-time friend. "Would you quiet down?" she hissed at him. "I didn't know how long they'd be here in Japan. They were obviously tourists." A thought suddenly struck her. "I didn't even ask how long they'd be here..."

"Does it matter? What are you planning on doing? Rekindle the relationship with your long-dead father?"

That was the last straw. She picked up the stapler on her desk and threw it at the demon. Annoyingly, he easily dodged it. "Why do you have to be such an ass?" the woman snapped. She spun around in her chair to look at the wall. _Why does it always turn into an argument between us? _She inwardly sighed, frustrated.

"Maybe if you'd just talk to me, and tell me about your ridiculous schemes before you did them, we wouldn't have to have these arguments all the time," he said sourly behind her. "I just want to know what the hell you were thinking."

"I don't have to explain myself to you." She crossed her arms and kicked her right foot against the wall.

"Yeah, I get." She heard him get up from the chair. "I'm just the freaking guard." She spun around to respond, but he was already half way out the door. She flinched as he slammed it shut behind him. _It would be a lot easier, if you __**were**__ just the guard..._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Seth watched Erin as she finished her bowl of noodles. They sat in a small cafe that Erin often visited. She swore the noodles there was the best she'd ever tasted. He had to admit she was right. The pair had shared their reactions to the morning's strange tour. Erin had been completely creeped out. He had tried to get her to explain what exactly she had seen with the sword, but she simply stated that the guard must have bumped it. He had a feeling that she was lying. "I still don't get what the point of it all was," she said. "Just to make us aware that we looked like a picture? It was really odd."

"I agree." Seth saw the resemblance between Erin and the picture, but still didn't think he looked like that picture of Sesshomaru at all.

She set down her bowl. "So...what do you want to do next? We can go back to the festival if you want. I want to go back tomorrow to watch that battle reenactment, so we could do something else for the rest of today if you wanted. There's lots of things to see around here. There's an amusement park, the aquarium, the cliffs-"

"How about something a little less _touristy_?" he interjected.

She smiled. "Alright..." she pushed her lips together in thought. He sat back and couldn't help but to once again look her over. When she had first seen her that morning, he couldn't help but to look her up and down, despite the sleep deprivation. She again was wearing a pair of tight jeans with a red, dressy, short-sleeved top. The neckline was cut at an angle showing off her left collarbone and shoulder. On the opposite hip, the shirt had a printed pattern of white cherry blossoms. It accented her body amazingly. _And every time she smiles... _"What about the beach?" she finally suggested.

"Alright," he replied. At the moment, he liked the idea of relaxing. His body was still fighting him with the time change.

The pair agreed to stop at Erin's apartment first so she could pick up her swimsuit and then stop by his house. He was glad he remembered to pack his swim trunks. He almost hadn't. "So, why are you staying for three weeks?" she asked as they drove back towards her place.

"My grandfather is in charge of the Japanese division of our company. He's retiring on the 23rd, and we're having a party for him on the 24th. In that time, I'm supposed to help him transition his responsibilities to his replacement. My father wants the transition to be a smooth one," Seth explained.

"Oh, let me guess – your dad doesn't like the new guy," she said smartly.

Seth frowned and glanced over at her. "How did you guess that?"

"Why else would you be sent over here? Your grandfather obviously doesn't need your help if he's the one in charge. You're here because your dad wants you to report to him any problems with the new guy," she replied. "You're a spy!"

"I'd like to think I'm a little more than that," he grumbled.

She laughed. "Sorry. What do you normally do at work back home?"

"I'm the project supervisor. It's my job to oversee that each team working on different projects stay on task."

"You answer directly to your dad? And he's the one in charge?" she asked. He nodded without looking back at her. "He must put a lot of trust in you. It's impressive that you have a high-management position at your age. He's training you to be his replacement, right? It's like I said last night, your future's already been planned for you."

Seth sighed. _She makes it sound like a bad thing._ "I fine with it. It's a great opportunity."

"Are you happy though?"

He glanced over at her. "Of course. It's better than being stuck at the bottom like most others at our age."

"Like me!" Erin said with a sigh. He inwardly grimaced. "I don't mind though. Like I said yesterday, I enjoy the freedom," she continued. "Oh! There's my place. Park there." He pulled over to the place she indicated. The woman opened the door and hopped out of the car. "I'll be back in a moment!" He watched her rush inside.

"What's her deal?" he voiced to himself. The girl was obviously trying to make him feel bad about his life being planned out for him. _I don't care. I have a very promising future ahead of me._

A moment later, Erin came rushing back out. She had changed into a t-shirt and shorts. He assumed her swimsuit was under her current outfit. She flung a bag into the back seat and jumped in. "Ready!"

Seth pushed the previous conversation into the back of his mind. He decided to let it go for now. "Let's go." He pulled out and headed towards his house. On the way, Erin told him a little bit about her roommates. She complained a lot about how one of them, Stephanie, was very messy. After a few minutes, they pulled into his driveway.

"This is your house?" Erin asked. "By Japanese standards, it's huge! Who stays in it while you're gone?"

Seth climbed out of the car, and Erin followed suit. "We have a housekeeper that takes care of it when we're not here."

"Can I apply?"

He chuckled at her answer. "No." He opened the door for her. "Come on in."

"It's nice," Erin said as she walked into the house.

"I'll be back." Seth went upstairs to change into his swim trunks and grabbed a towel and extra clothes.

He came back down to find Erin in the living room.

"You have a sister?" she asked as he entered the room. The woman was looking at a family portrait on the mantle.

"Her name is Karina."

"She's pretty. So is your mom."

"Thanks. Ready?" He lead her back out to the car, and they headed towards the coast.

"Does your sister work for your family too?" Erin asked after a few minutes of silence.

"She works around her classes, but yes."

"What's _she_ going to school for?" the woman asked eagerly.

"Business," he replied.

"What did you go to school for?"

He glanced over at Erin. He thought they had dropped this conversation. "Engineering."

She raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips together in a thoughtful look. "I see."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he said shortly.

"Nothing!" she didn't say anything else and looked away towards the window. They sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. "I just thought..." she started. _Figured that she wouldn't stay quiet for long. _"...what I mean is...," she sighed. "How do I put it? It sounds like you're going to be stuck in the same spot for years until your dad retires. It just sounds boring to me."

"Well, you're not the one working my job, are you?" he snapped. "Besides, I thought _I _was supposed to give _you_ career advice. Not the other way around."

"Sorry. I just think you deserve to be happy."

"Why do you care?"

She sat quiet for a moment. "I don't know. Everyone deserves to be happy."

Once again silence fell between them. Seth was overly annoyed at the conversation, but thought over her words. _I shouldn't be mad at her, she's just trying to help. But she shouldn't be trying to tell me what to do. _He inwardly sighed. _Aren't I supposed to be telling her what she's supposed to do?_ "What would make you happy Erin?"

"Hmm." She leaned her head back against the seat's headrest and closed her eyes. Her dark hair fell down over her shoulders. "Sunshine, flowers, a friend."

He frowned. "Those are pretty short-termed goals."

She opened her eyes and smiled. "If you only have long-term goals, it will take you a really long time to be happy. I'm not saying you should live for the moment, but you shouldn't be so focused on what's ahead of you that you miss what's happening around you now."

Seth narrowed his eyes. _How old is this girl?_ She sounded like some ancient oracle spilling the secrets of life to him. "You sound like a fortune cookie."

Erin laughed. "Well, it's true! You need to set some short-termed goals!"

"I didn't know this agreement included you analyzing my life," he said sarcastically.

"The terms have changed!" she said with a laugh. He shook his head in mock-annoyance.

"We're here," he said changing the subject. They pulled in the beach's parking lot and got out of the car.

Erin rushed towards the sand and flung her sandals off. Seth stood mesmerized as she stripped off her t-shirt and shorts revealing her thin body in a bikini. _Damn. _"This is great!" she called out to him. "Sunshine – check!" She rushed into the water. "Come on!"

Seth took off his shirt and left it beside her pile of clothes. He followed her into the water and was welcomed by a splash in his direction. "Hey!" She laughed and continued to toss water at him. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. She cried out as he wrapped his arms around hers and pulled her underwater.

"That's cheating!" Erin splashed at him again as he released her. He laughed and reached for her again. She was too quick though. She jumped backwards splashing him again. She ducked underwater as he covered his eyes. He waited for her to emerge, but she was a fast swimmer. She came up behind him, and before he could spin around, she jumped onto his back and pulled him backwards into the water.

He took a deep breath as he came up out of the water. She was standing there laughing. Strands of her hair were plastered to her face, and the sun reflected off of her wet skin. "You think that's funny?" he asked with a sarcastic scowl.

"Yes!" They splashed and swam around in the water for a while longer, and then Erin suggested that they make a sandcastle. Seth didn't argue and began to help her dig at the shore. After a while, they made a make-shift castle complete with towers and a moat. Erin collected some shells and rocks along the shore to decorate the sand structure. "Beautiful!" she exclaimed standing to admire their work. "That's your engineering degree hard at work!"

He rolled his eyes. "Did you suggest we build this just so you could make that joke?"

She gave him a large smile. "Partially," she said mock-innocently.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her down into the sand beside him. "I don't find it funny," he growled jokingly.

"I do!" she said as she pushed him. He fell back into the sand but didn't let go of her arm pulling her over sideways. They laid there laughing for a moment.

Seth didn't let go of her arm. He looked her over again. Her warm-toned skin reflected the sunlight over her thin frame. Excitement and joy seemed to radiate from her very body. The moments of annoyance he had with the woman faded from his memory. She was beautiful. From her dark hair down her body to her bright smile. Seth normally spent his weekends working overtime trying to help teams catch-up to meet their deadlines. His company usually consisted of uptight, stressed out men stumbling over their words to kiss up to him and to apologize for their mistakes. The moment he was currently lost in was a sharp contrast. _One that I'm enjoying._ "Thanks for suggesting that I take the weekend off," he said sincerely.

She sat up and looked down at him with a smile. "It's not over yet!" The woman stood up and pulled him up after her. "What do you want to do next?"

_She never runs out of energy, does she? _"How about a walk to dry off?"

"Alright." Erin grabbed her butterfly-clad towel and tossed Seth's solid red one over to him. "There's a path up the shore there," she said pointing towards a wooded area further down the shore. She wrapped her towel around her waist as they started down the dirt path through the trees. "I didn't offend you earlier, did I? When I asked you about your job?"

Seth inwardly sighed. He wished they'd just get off the subject. "You obviously have some grand revelation you want to tell me. Let's hear it."

She looked up at him with an apologetic look. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright," he said calmly. "Let's hear it." _I want to end this conversation._

"Well, I just think you're burnt out," she started. He frowned. _You don't even know me. _"You're defensive and short-tempered. You're going to get tired at some point being bossed around by your dad all the time and you won't be able to move up until he retires in thirty some years or so. You have a degree in engineering and not business, so it shows you like to build more than you like to manage people. I have a feeling you don't really like dealing with people at all."

Seth had a sour taste in his mouth. "You could tell all of that about me from last night and today?"

She shrugged. "Some of it is guessing, but...you don't smile or show any excitement when you talk about work, but when we built that sandcastle...you had fun, didn't you?" She looked up at him with a questioning look.

"It's different," he responded flatly. _She doesn't understand...it's not about having fun. It's a job and a duty to my family. No one said that building a business was going to be all sunshine and smiles._

"If you say so. Just think about it."

"And what about your job? You said you work at a coffee shop. Do you enjoy every moment you are there?" he said shortly.

She shrugged. "Not always, but I don't plan on doing that the rest of my life. Whatever I end up doing, I want to enjoy it...not be miserable all day."

"They wouldn't call it work if it was fun."

"That's not true! There are plenty of people who enjoy-"

"Not people who want a stable paycheck," Seth cut her off. "What about all the necessary jobs that nobody would want to do...like janitors or waste management? Are they wasting their lives? No, they're working an honest job to care for their family."

"I can see that," Erin said sternly," but what are _your _reasons? To make your family happy? And what happens when your father is gone? Who are you going to work for then? Will you have a family of your own one day or are you so busy working that you'll never find time for a family?"

"What the hell is your problem?" Seth shouted back. He had enough of her questioning.

Suddenly, the woman grabbed his arm and pulled him towards her. She moved against him putting her hands on his chest and pushed her lips against his. He took a step back in shock and felt his back hit a tree. Erin pushed harder kissing him fiercely. The shock he felt from her actions took away his breath, but his heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. After a moment, she let him go and moved back to look at him. Her face had turned a shade of red. "When's the last time you felt excitement?" He didn't know how to respond. "I don't know what it is about you," she continued. She looked down but didn't take her hands off of his bare chest. "Everything you say is wrong."

Seth frowned. "Wrong?" he echoed.

"I don't know what it is, but I feel like I've known you for a long time. I feel...comfortable around you, and it's so weird, but...I _know_ you want to be the strongest, the most powerful. You crave excitement and have a passion to fight, but that's not what you're words say about you." The woman looked back up at him and took a step back dropping her arms. "It's like your Superman, but you actually just want to be Clark Kent. You act like you're happy letting everyone push you around and don't really care about your true potential."

"Enough." Seth stepped away from the tree causing Erin to take a step back away from him. "I don't know what kind of person you've dreamed me up to be, but it sounds like you're trying to justify your own issues. You don't want to work – that's why you can't decide what you want to do with your life. That's why you're trying to get me to agree with this theory you've cooked up about me being miserable. _You're_ miserable, lonely, and unhappy with your life," he snapped. He was angry. _Who does she think she is?_

He half expected her to cry, but Erin stood there with a defiant look on her face. "Lonely...maybe. Miserable...no." She took a step towards him. "I have my whole future ahead of me, and I could do _anything_." The woman then spun around and started to walk away from him. "I don't need to waste my weekend arguing with you. I may not know you very well, Seth West, but there is _some_ truth to my words." He watched her walk back the way they had come.

"Annoying bitch," he muttered as she walked away. He decided just to leave and be done with her.

"_When's the last time you felt excitement?"_

Seth paused after taking only a few steps. He was torn about what to do. She had been right about one thing – he felt like he knew her. He had the same feelings about her that she had said about him. He was completely comfortable around her and felt like they had been friends for a long time. _Perhaps that's why we've been arguing since we've met._ He _had_ been interested in spending the weekend with her and even helping her decide on a major. He had been attracted to her since he first saw her. _Is this what they're talking about when they say 'chemistry'? _Even now, he was struggling with the decision to leave her.

"_When's the last time you felt excitement?" _

He leaned against a tree and looked down at his feet. _When?_ He thought about it. He couldn't remember a time at work. _Maybe when I finished designing the 42-C engine. I had been excited to present it to Dad. That was before I became the production manager. _He sighed. "She doesn't even know me. How can she tell that I'm bored with it?" He couldn't even think of the last time outside of work that he had gotten excited about something. He stood there silent running the things Erin had said through his head. After a few moments had passed, he looked back out towards the shore. He had to make a decision. If he was going to go back to the woman, he had to be honest with her; he was never one to openly share his feelings. _Can I leave though? _

He began to walk back towards the shore. As he walked out of the woods and onto the sand, he spotted the woman. Erin sat on the edge of the waterline looking at the sandcastle they had built. The waves came up around her bottom and thighs, touching her and then running away. She had her left knee pulled up to her chin and her head rested upon it. In her right hand, she spun a pink flower in between her thumb and index finger. The the coast's light breeze flung her dark hair about. The image of a sea witch torturing a flower for living on land ran through his head. _A gorgeous sea witch._

Erin didn't look at him as he sat down beside her in the water. _So much for drying off._ He looked at her and then at the sandcastle when she showed no response. He suddenly noticed that she had decorated their creation with greenery. She had stuck small branches around the castle making it look like trees growing out of the sand. Flower blossoms of different colors had been placed around the castle making it look like a true fairy-tale home. "Landscaping," the woman said quietly from beside him. He looked over at her waiting for her to continue. After a few moments, she spoke again. "I love flowers and gardening. I'll transfer to the design school and study landscaping."

Seth raised an eyebrow in surprise and suddenly felt guilty about what he had said earlier about her not wanting to work. "You seem to have a talent for it," he responded. "I expected you to be...happier once you made a decision. Are you sure that's what you want to do?"

She nodded. "I thought you were leaving," she said somberly showing he was the reason for her mood.

He looked away from her. _Open and honest._ It was time to swallow his pride. "I had thought about it...but decided not to." He looked back at her.

Erin finally looked over to him; her dark eyes held a questioning gaze. "Why?"

Seth sighed. "I knew I'd regret it. I know what you mean about being familiar to each other. It's strange."

The woman looked surprised and then looked down at the flower in her hand. "You were right about one thing: I have been lonely. I came here thinking I'd find more, that I couldn't be unhappy in a place like this. But I never found it – whatever _it_ was. And when we started talking last night...I don't know. I was instantly nervous and...and _excited_ to meet you." She looked up at him. "Don't misunderstand – it's not like I believe in love at first sight or that I'm in love with you."

"There was definitely an attraction though," Seth admitted. He himself had froze when he saw her.

Erin gave him a sly smile. "That's been obvious. You haven't stopped checking me out since we've met!" Seth felt a momentary embarrassment at being caught. She continued, "And the more we talked, the more exciting you became to me, but last night you...you kind of came off as thinking you were better than me because you had your life all figured out and I didn't. So I felt like I had to prove myself to you. And then today, the more you talked about your job, the worse it sounded. I wanted you to see that your perfect life plan sucked and that I...well, I guess I started to think that I was better than you. And I said all those rude things!" She finished her rant with a sigh. "I'm sorry Seth."

"I wasn't any better," he replied. She didn't respond, and the two of them sat there in silence. Seth thought about what she said. Her actions made sense now that she had explained herself. _And from her point of view, my life doesn't seem that exciting, and it's all been planned out for me... _"I had built an engine that many of the older, more experienced engineers couldn't get to work right. When I presented it to my dad, he was ecstatic. That was before I was the production manager."

"What?"

He looked down at the woman. "The last time I felt excitement." Her eyes opened wide and Seth assumed she thought she had been right about him. "I'm not saying that you were right about me," he interjected, "but I'm not saying you were completely wrong."

Her face lit up in a smile. "Well then, let's just spend the rest of the weekend having a good time! No more talking about work or trying to figure each other out. Just...excitement!" she said in her usual light voice.

Seth smiled. "Agreed." And just like that, it was over.

"Great!" the girl said as she stood up. Seth couldn't help but look up her her legs as she did. She glanced down at him catching him in the act. She gave him a mock-angry look and then turned and gently kicked him in the chest sending him backwards into the water. He grabbed her leg and pulled her towards him. Erin hopped a few times on her other foot before stumbling towards him. He was careful to catch her and cushion her landing due to the shallow water. "You're gonna pay for that!" She pushed away from him splashing him with a mix of water and sand.

Seth jumped up and rushed out into deeper water to avoid another attack. She chased after him and jumped towards him as he stopped and turned around. He stepped out of the way causing her to splash down into the water. He scooped her up into his arms bridal style causing the girl to yell out in surprise, and then ungentlemanly, he dropped her back into the waves. Erin came back up and gasped for air. "Sorry for dropping you like that, your shriek startled me," he said sarcastically.

She pushed the water off her face and back down her hair. "Oh, so when you do finally find your sense of humor, that's the only joke you can come up with?" she said shaking her head. Suddenly, she lunged at him throwing her arms around his midsection and tackled him. They both went underwater, and Seth wrapped his arms around her back pulling them back up. Erin laughed hysterically and let go of him to wipe her face. Seth didn't let go.

Erin's eyes looked up at him wide when she realized she was trapped. Seth stood still, unsure of what action to take. _ "When's the last time you felt excitement?" _He wanted to feel that again. Without thinking it through any further, he leaned down and kissed her. After a moment, he felt her arms wrap around his neck and she pushed into him. He felt like his chest was going to explode. _When was the last time I felt like this?_

He let go when he felt Erin begin to push away from him. A deep red blush covered her face. "Uh...I um." She wiped her face and pushed her hands over her head and down her hair. "What do I say to that?" she said weakly. Seth smiled at her response. She looked up and shrugged bashfully. "How about another?" She put her hands on his shoulders and pulled him into another kiss. _She's just as eager as I am..._ Seth put his arms back around her and enjoyed the taste of her lips. Her kisses became more desperate and deep as they continued to make out. Seth pushed back becoming more excited as they continued. _I want her..._ He felt the girl shiver beneath him, and he pulled back.

"Are you cold?" he asked. She was breathing heavy, and with her face only inches from his, he could feel her warm breath. Her face was still a deep shade of red, and her eyes were wide. Her body continued to shiver beneath his arms.

"A bit," she stammered.

Seth suddenly became aware of the others on the beach. _Perhaps we should move on. _Their actions were probably seen as inappropriate on the public beach, especially in Japan. "Want to get some dinner?"

"Uh, sure," Erin said. Seth inwardly smiled as he realized he had stunned the non-stop talker into being speechless. The pair collected their belongs and went to the appropriate shower houses to change. Erin took a picture of their sandcastle on her phone before they left. She slowly became herself again after a few moments. Seth wondered if he had been a little too forward with her. _She continued it though..._ He couldn't help but wonder if things were going to continue that way later.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Erin leaned against the shower wall and sighed. _What the hell am I doing?_ Seth had dropped her off at home and said he'd be back in an hour to pick her up. He was taking her to dinner ..._somewhere fancy!_ She bit her lip in thought. She wasn't an idiot: she knew where this was heading. _I've __**never **__slept with a guy after only knowing him for a day!_ She finished rinsing off and got out of the shower. There was a possibility that the night wouldn't go that way. She looked at her distorted figure in the steamed up mirror. _Who am I kidding? _He had said it himself, he was attracted to her; he was a young man and horny ..._and hot. _She tossed her towel aside in frustration. She wanted it too.

The woman began to blow dry her hair and stared at the mirror in contemplation. She was definitely attracted to Seth and she _really, really_ liked him. After the afternoon had progressed at the beach, she had decided that their argument had made that attraction stronger. She had expected it to put a wedge in between them, but it had actually cleared the air between them. After she had been so rude and said all those stupid things, he had come back. He had come back! She put down the blow dryer and began to comb through her hair. She decided to curl it and plugged in the iron.

"Why is this so complicated?" she whined. She wasn't going to see this guy after the weekend was over, and she was already _way _too into him. _If I sleep with him, am I going to regret it? Will I be able to walk away from him after this weekend is over and not be miserable for the next few weeks trying to forget it? _She felt her heart sink. _I'm already dreading the fact that I'm never going to see him again. _He said he was going to be in Japan for three weeks, but she knew that the relationship wasn't going to go pass this weekend _...and if it does, it's not going to be because he's interested in me; it's going to be about the sex. _She frowned. _But we have such a connection...maybe it'll be more. _She leaned forward and knocked her head against the mirror. _Listen to me...I'm trying to justify to myself why I should sleep with him._

With a sigh, she picked up the curling iron and began to work on her hair. The mirror was no longer foggy, and she could clearly see her reflection. It reminded her of the picture of Lady Rin the curator had showed them at the museum that morning. _Could I really look like her? Stories say she was beautiful. _The painting had freaked her out a bit, but after thinking about it, it didn't seem so strange that two people would look similar. It happened all the time. The strange part had been that Seth had also looked similar to Lord Sesshomaru minus the silver hair. _What a weird coincidence. _Even weirder was the sword – she knew she had seen it pulse. It hadn't been bumped. _What if there were such things as demons and that __**is**__ a demon sword? _Maybe it was possible. She continued to think about the possibility as she finished her hair and put on her make-up.

She grabbed her towel and headed towards her bedroom. Once there, she looked into her closet and frowned. _What am I going to wear? _Seth had told her to dress up, but hadn't told her where they were going. She looked at a yellow sundress that she loved. She shook her head, it wasn't dressy enough. She looked through a few of the dresses that she bought to go out clubbing with Stephanie in. None of them seemed right. She paused on a midnight-blue dress and pulled it out. She slipped into it and looked herself over in the mirror. The dress had a diagonal cut with one sleeve leaving her right shoulder exposed. The hem line was also cut diagonally but in the opposite direction showing off her right leg. "Is this dressy enough?" she asked herself. As a precaution, she grabbed a gray sweater out of her closet. She looked through her jewelry, and glanced at the beaded necklace on her dresser. She paused and looked at the necklace again. It was the necklace the vendor had given her at the museum that morning. She ran her thumb over the crescent moon pendant; it was the same color as her dress. She put the necklace on and picked out a pair of beaded earrings from her jewelry box.

Erin walked out of her room and glanced at the clock on the wall. _With five minutes to spare._ "Where are you going?" a voice asked from behind her. Stephanie walked around her and flopped down on the living room couch. "I thought you were going to some history festival thing this weekend."

"I went last night and this morning. I'm going out to dinner now though."

"With a guy?" her blonde roommate asked raising her eyebrows.

Erin gave her a frown. "No, with a cat," she said sarcastically. "Yes, with a guy I met at the museum last night."

"Oh," Stephanie responded. "He's a nerd. That explains it."

"No – he's a really nice guy, a business man from America. He's here for the next few weeks on business."

"Reallllly? Sounds like you're being used sweetheart. I've seen it a million times!"

"I'm not an idiot," Erin spat back. "I know this isn't a long-term thing. We both were attending the festival and decided to hang out since we were both alone. He asked me out to dinner. It would have been rude of me to refuse."

"That's it?" Stephanie asked skeptically.

Erin shrugged. _Who am I kidding?_ "Like I said, I'm not an idiot. I know full well that this will probably end up with me in bed with him tonight."

"What?" the other girl shrieked in disbelief. "You? You who broke up with the Coffee Shop Boy because he was moving too fast for you. You're going to sleep with a guy you just met?"

She frowned annoyed. "Think what you want." She gave her roommate a arrogant smile. "Wait until you see him. I'm not going to turn _that _down."

Stephanie laughed. "Let's see..a business man from America: balding, beer belly, probably a drunk-"

"He's here!" Erin saw Seth's car pull up and walked to the window. The man got out of the car and walked towards the door. She frowned. _He's wearing a tie. _She slipped on the gray sweater in her hand and hoped she was dressed fancy enough.

"Holy shit." Stephanie had her head stuck in the window beside her. "No, you win. I wouldn't turn that down either."

"See ya!" Erin waved at her with a smile and headed out the front door. She had the satisfaction of seeing the man check her out once again. She looked him over. _He cleans up nice. _He was wearing a pair of black slacks and a matching jacket. He wore a silver dress shirt with a black tie. _Really nice._

"You look great," he said as he ushered her towards the car. After helping her in, he entered on the driver's side, and they were off.

"So, where are we going?" she asked in anticipation.

"I thought we'd celebrate your decision to go into landscaping," he replied.

She laughed as a picture popped into her head. "Don't tell me we're going to go eat at a greenhouse!"

"No," he glanced at her with a smile. "There's a restaurant near hear that I've eaten at a few times with my grandparents. I think you'll enjoy it." He wouldn't give her any more details, so they chatted about her gardening hobby. She was proud that she was able to impress Seth with how much she knew about flowers. She had worked at a garden center in high school to help pay for her adopted mother's hospital bills before she had passed away.

They arrived at their destination after a short drive. Erin looked over the rustic looking building not missing the fact that flowers around the front door were beautiful. "Sakura?" she asked reading the restaurant's sign. Seth nodded and took her hand leading her to the door. She felt her cheeks turn red at the contact.

The woman looked around as the hostess led them through the building. It was decorated in a traditional Japanese style: lot's of wood and flowers. The hostess led them outside onto a boardwalk. "Oh wow!" she said in disbelief. The boardwalk surrounded a garden complete with ponds and a stream flowing through the middle. A traditional Japanese short table ran along the length of the restaurant large enough to hold a few dozen customers. The hostess led them passed that table and further down the wooden walkway to a small private table further back. She slipped off her shoes and sat on a soft pillow at the short table there. Seth did likewise as the hostess left them their menus. "This is beautiful!"

"I thought you'd approve." He picked up his menu and glanced down at it. "Order whatever you'd like," he said. "Don't worry about the price." Erin inwardly frowned and picked up her menu. She felt her eyes widen as she looked it over. Instantly, she felt guilty and a little annoyed that Seth would take her somewhere so expensive. "I'm serious," he said. "Just enjoy it." She looked his face over realizing he wasn't trying to show off at all. He really did just want her to have a good time. She smiled and decided what she wanted to order.

The pair talked throughout dinner about their families. Erin told Seth about her lonely childhood until she had been adopted at the age of seven and about her time growing up with the lady who had adopted her. The woman had been very kind and an excellent mother. It had broken Erin's heart when she passed away. Seth in turn told her about his family and how it directly revolved around the family's business. The more he talked about it, the more Erin saw that she had been right. He was excited when he talked about machinery and engines, but didn't seem to enjoy the managing part of his job at all. She decided not to comment about it. She had already given her opinion; it was up to him to figure it out for himself. She did hope he would though; she wanted to see him happy.

"So, do you have a girlfriend back home?" she asked. As soon as it was out of her mouth, she almost smacked herself. _What did I say that?_

Seth shook his head. "No. The last serious relationship I was in ended about two years ago. I had met a girl in college, and we dated for about three years. She told me that I worked too much and left. Truthfully, work had become more interesting that she was, so I wasn't sad to see her go."

Erin wasn't sure how to respond. "I see."

He looked her in the eyes. "I didn't mean it like it sounded. I didn't get bored with her. I never had been that interested in her. She was interested in me, so I agreed to date her. I let it go on a little too long." Erin nodded knowing full well what he meant. _He used her for sex._ She inwardly sighed. _I knew this wasn't going to go anywhere, why do I feel disappointed in him? Why am I expecting any more? _"Don't get me wrong," he continued. He raked his fingers through his dark hair. "I am _very _interested in you." _Nice try._ She saw him wince. _Does he realize how much worse he's making this?_

She smiled feeling a bit fake. "Don't worry. I'm under no illusions that I'm ever going to see you again after this weekend. I know how important your job is to you and to your family."

"I didn't mean it like that," he said with a frown.

"It's okay. I'm not offended at all. Let's just enjoy the rest of the weekend and not worry about anything after that," she tried to make her tone of voice sound light. She looked down at her plate and continued to eat.

Seth leaned back in his chair. "How about you? Any boyfriends hiding around?"

She raised an eyebrow at his choice of words. "No, but if I do take you to the coffee shop, be warned: I used to date one of the guys who work there."

"He harbors some feelings towards you?" She nodded. "You broke up with him?"

She nodded again. "We dated a few weeks, and he really started to pressure me into moving faster. I was never that interested in him in the first place, so when he started to constantly talk about sex, I broke it off." Again, she almost smacked herself. _Why did I say that? _She panicked. "Not that I don't ever sleep with guys that I date!" _Oh my God! Why did I say __**that**__? _She felt her face turn red as she heard Seth chuckle. She buried her face into her hands. "Here we go again," she said softly.

"Neither of us are very good at subtlety, are we?" he asked. She lowered her hands feeling completely embarrassed. He sat there with a smirk on his face.

"No, apparently not," she admitted.

"Alright Erin Hana. I'll make my intentions known." He took a deep breath. "I _am_ interested in you. I _can't_ say that this relationship will continue after this weekend, but it's becoming harder to get you out of my head. I _am _a man and have thought about having sex with you since the time I saw you, but if me sleeping with you makes you think that's all I'm interested in, then I'd rather not. I'm planning on fully enjoying this weekend with you, and I don't want it to get awkward if we sleep together."

Erin felt her jaw drop. She hadn't expected him to be that honest. _I suppose for a guy that seems __pretty closed up, the best way for him to share his feelings is just to lay it all out on the table. _It took a second for her brain to catch up with his words. She felt her heart almost leap out of her chest as she realized what he was saying. _He __**is**__ interested in me. _"I agree," is all she could get out. She shook her head trying to sort her thoughts. "I mean I feel the same way. I- I'm enjoying the time we've spent together and I want it to continue. Whatever way tonight goes, I," she looked up and saw the eagerness in his eyes, "I'm going to enjoy being with you." The two sat there silent looking at each other for a moment. Graciously, the server delivered the bill at that time breaking the tension.

Erin looked out at the garden as Seth paid the bill. "There's a path that goes further into the garden," he said after the server left. "Would you like to go for a walk?" She looked back at him and nodded. He jumped up and offered her a hand. Both put on their shoes, and Seth led them to the end of the boardwalk where a dirt path started. "You should see this place in the fall," he said as they walked along.

"I'm sure it's beautiful."

"We'll have to come back." She gave him a questioning glance. "I do come back here from time to time on business."

She nodded her understanding. "That would be nice." She paused as her eyes sat upon a pretty white flower with a yellow center.

"What's that called?" Seth asked.

"I'm not sure. I'm not familiar with a lot of Japanese plants. It reminds me of a daisy though." Seth reached passed her and plucked one of the flowers from the plant. "Won't they get mad?"

He shrugged. "Let them." He reached towards her, and she felt him tuck the flower behind her right ear. His hand lingered for a second and then moved down to the back of her neck. She closed her eyes as he pulled her into a kiss. She placed her hands on his chest and leaned into him. _I just met him...why do I feel like this? _Her very soul seemed to call out to the man in front of her. _I feel like I finally found something I've been missing; I'm not lonely when I'm with him._

Suddenly, he pulled away, and she heard him mumble something. She opened her eyes to see another couple trying to get passed them. "Sorry," she muttered and moved out of the way. They watched the other couple pass. "Do you want to go somewhere a little more private?" she asked.

He looked down at her showing no emotion. "Where would you like to go?"

She felt her heart rate increase. He was leaving the choice up to her. _Which choice will I regret the most? _"Your place?"

"Alright." Excitement was visible on his face and in his movements, though she could tell he was trying to remain cool. He took her hand and led her back out of the restaurant to his car. Like a gentleman, he opened her door and helped her in.

She couldn't help but smile at him as they rode towards his house. His thumb twitched against the steering wheel, and his left foot tapped against the floor. Her curiosity finally got the better of her. "When's the last time you had sex?" she asked.

The twitching suddenly stopped. "Almost two years," he replied after a moment. "I work too much," he sighed. "You?"

"Um, about six months," she said feeling a bit bashful at sharing the information. "I just haven't been interested in anyone. The last guy I slept with was someone my roommate introduced me to. He was really good at lying to me and got me in bed after we dated for only three months. Told me he loved me and the whole spiel. I guess I'm gullible."

"Only three months," Seth echoed softly.

She frowned again regretting what she said. "Yeah, this one day thing is new for me."

"Are you suggesting that it isn't for me?" he asked.

"No! I- I just..." she trailed off struggling to find the right thing to say. "No need to be so defensive."

"Sorry. I just didn't want you to think that I'm a sleazeball that sleeps around with everyone. I just can't talk properly at the moment."

She smiled, surprised at his words. "Nervous?"

"No, my mind is elsewhere at the moment."

Erin almost laughed. "I see. Just get us there in one piece, okay?"

They arrived at the house after a few more minutes, and Seth practically jumped out of the car. He rushed around and helped Erin out and led her to the house. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest as they walked in. She expected him to jump her as soon as they walked inside, but he surprised her. "Would you like a drink?" he asked as he removed his shoes. "Water?"

"Sure," she responded and followed suit in removing her dress shoes.

"I'll get it. You can go into the living room," he pointed her way and then disappeared down the hall. She walked into the living room and sat down on one of the upholstered chairs. Seth reappeared after a minute and handed her the glass of water. He sat down across from her on the couch. She watched as he chugged the glass of water in his hands. _He __**is**__ nervous. _Erin bit her bottom lip in anticipation. She was nervous too. She didn't want to mess up this relationship.

She stood up and took off her sweater. She saw Seth's eyes widen at her action. "I like that look much better," he said.

"I don't like you in a tie," she responded trying to be seductive. She felt like she failed at that part. She could hear the waiver in her voice. She pulled him up by taking his hands in her own. She loosened his tie and slid it over his head. He removed his jacket and tossed it behind him as she worked. Trying to be entertaining, she tossed the tie over her head and pushed him backwards onto the couch. She leaned over him, and her lips met his in a hard kiss. She let up after a moment to look at him. His nervousness seemed to have subsided.

Seth reached out and took the tie off of her. "It's not your color." She laughed as he tossed it away. He put his hands on her hips and pulled her onto him. Her knees dug into the couch on either side of his hips as he pulled her closer. Erin placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him deeply. She felt his hands move to her legs. He moved them up her thighs pushing her dress up, pulling her closer. His hands moved up over her underwear to her back. Erin could feel him stiffening under her and suddenly her nervousness was replaced with desire. She wanted him. She wanted him _badly_. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, and he responded with his own.

Suddenly he pushed her back. She cried out in surprise as he rolled her over onto the couch beside him. He moved to stand up and scooped her up into his arms. "I think a bed would be more comfortable." She nodded at a loss for words and clinged to him as he carried her through the house. He carried her up a set up stairs and into a bedroom. "Light," he said and motioned towards the wall with his head. Erin reached over his shoulder and flipped on a light switch.

She smiled as she saw the room's decorations. Samurai decorated the walls around them. _I knew I was right about him._ "I like it," she said. He carried her to the double bed and laid her down. _It's kind of small. _She thought of how close they were going to have to lay beside each other.

"It's been this way since I've been a kid," he responded as he climbed above her.

"That makes it a little kinky," she said with a giggle.

He leaned down and gave her a deep kiss. After a moment he moved his mouth down her right side, over her neck and bare shoulder. He moved back up to look at her. He gave her a smile, and she couldn't help but to smile back at him. He had become a completely different person from the stuck-up business man the night before. "I may be a little rusty, but I still promise you the best sex you've ever had."

She felt her eyes widen in surprise. Her heart skipped a beat in anticipation. "Really?" she asked trying to be sarcastic.

He nodded with a feral smile. "There's one rule to sex that most men ignore." She waited for him to continue, the sexual tension between them increasing. "For the best sex, sex doesn't begin until foreplay is over."

"And when is foreplay over?" she whispered unable to breathe.

"Not until you have an orgasm." He pressed his lips against hers passionately.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Yemon walked through the lower levels of the museum checking lights and doors. The festival had ended for the evening, and he wanted to make sure there wasn't any lingering tourists hiding around. _Especially now that Bakusaiga is awake. _He frowned recalling the morning's events. _Damn it Ryomi. _He didn't understand why she had to be so brash all the time. She never thought about the consequences of what she did. She just did them. Usually, he could understand her actions, but the whole thing that morning still pissed him off. _Why would she take the chance of waking the sword with all the demons here?_ While the festival did attract a lot of tourists, it also attracted a lot of demons. They came here to sell their goods and catch up with each other. The humans didn't give them a second glance; they thought the demons were simply humans in costume. _How many of them can sense the Bakusaiga? _To his surprise, the sword was quiet. When he walked near the door to the basement storage, he could sense the weapon down there, but no one else seemed to notice.

The demon headed up the stairs towards the apartment that he shared with Ryomi. _And the cat. _He narrowed his eyes as Meiling came down the stairs towards him. "Stay away from the cellar," he ordered her. "There's some new stuff down there – too powerful for you," he added.

The short cat demon waved a hand flippantly as she passed him. "Don't worry. I'm not interested in dog toys." He thought about responding with some smart remark, but let it go. He wasn't interested in fighting with her at the moment.

He walked into the apartment and glanced around but didn't see Ryomi. He hadn't talked to her since that morning and hadn't kept tabs on her due to his annoyance with the half-demon. He momentarily panicked and he realized he hadn't seen her most of the day. With the number of demons around, he should know better - to keep an eye on her. He walked down the hallway towards her room and relaxed as he saw her uniform laying on the bed. The hat and glasses she had been wearing were tossed on her dresser. _She must be on the roof._ The woman would disappear up there whenever she needed some time alone. He sighed as he headed towards the back stairway.

He did understand why she did it though, why she wanted to see how the Bakusaiga would respond. She was scared. She was so good at hiding her emotions, but the last few weeks, they were starting to show through her shell. Meiling took it as Ryomi being cranky, but he could clearly see her fear. They had waited for years to reach this moment. They were going to change everything in the past. He himself had second thoughts about all of their plans, but he had committed to it. They were going to see this through. _And if by some chance, the reincarnations of Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Rin appeared, I wouldn't mind their help._ He had seen both of them fight. They were unstoppable in battle, their swords together wreaked more havoc than a whole army of humans. He stepped out onto the rooftop and paused. _That's why Ryomi wants to be so strong..._

He leaned against the door frame and watched the half-demon woman. She was practicing with her sword. She had traded her uniform for a pair of tight athletic shorts and a tank top and moved across the steel roof barefoot. He watched as she jumped, dived, and attacked an invisible enemy with her sword. _She may only be half-demon, but she's as strong as any dog demon, I've seen._ She had been trained by her father and Isas as a child, and Yemon had to admit that they had done a good job at teaching her. He continued to watch and recognized her movements as part of the routine they had been practicing for the next day's activities.

Ryomi had started the festival about thirty years ago as an opportunity for her to connect with demons. She wanted names to go to when it was time to stand up against the foretold demonic storm. Twelve years ago, an acting company had approached her about doing battle reenactments at the festival. She had agreed and a whole story about two leaders, one human and one demon, going to battle emerged. They had orchestrated a whole battle scene to be acted out on the last day of the festival, and a smart remark from Ryomi about how weak the acting "demons" appeared resulted in her and Yemon joining the battle. Now, at the end of the fight, the two leaders sent out their best warrior to duel. Yemon played the part of the human warrior, a fact that Ry constantly picked on him about, and she played the part of the demon warrior. They had made that decision for two reasons: first, with Yemon's dark hair he could pass for a human man while Ryomi's ears made her look like a demon and second, Yemon was able to show self-control while he was fighting. Ryomi couldn't; she threw herself into the battle with all of her heart. He had to admit she always looked spectacular, but she sometimes pushed it too far. He narrowed his eyes at her movements. "That's not in the routine."

The woman stopped and placed her hands on her knees, stooping over to catch her breath. Her white hair was damp and sweat dripped down her skin. Yemon could smell its bittersweet scent. "Since when do I stick to the routine?" she panted.

He shrugged and walked towards her. "Never."

She looked up at him with a vicious smile. "Exactly. It looks more realistic when I actually try to kill you."

"Not a chance. You couldn't kill me even if I was unarmed," he gave her taunting smile and leaned against the wall around the roof's edge.

"Is that a challenge?" she stood up, placed her left hand on her hip, and swung her sword up towards him as if she were threatening him.

"Perhaps," he jumped to his right as soon as the words left his mouth. She wasted no time in charging at him. She continued to chase after him as he ducked and dodged out of her way. "You're too slow!" he laughed.

That made her mad and she charged at him again. Yemon almost stumbled as her sword moved too close to his gut. He jumped back and then dived to his left. "Pick it up old man," she sneered. Ryomi jumped high swinging her sword down towards him. He rolled out of the way and with incredible speed and jumped up behind her. He pushed her in the back causing her to fall forward faster than she had intended. She was quick though and caught herself on her left hand. She swung her legs up and flipped herself over. Yemon had to move backwards to avoid being kicked in the face. She continued her flip and landed in a couching position with her back towards him. Yemon waited for her next attack. They had been together for so long, that he was able to easily guess which direction she would move based on the angle of her feet, her sword, which muscles in her body were tensing. He had been trained as a warrior from childhood. He knew the fact made Ryomi mad, but she would never be able to beat him in a duel.

"Give up?" he asked when she stayed in the crouching position. He frowned when she continued to sit there unmoving. Suddenly, her right arm swung around behind her and a volley of green darts flew towards him. He didn't move quick enough to dodge them, and two of her poison darts hit him in the gut. "Hey!" He winced as the acid burned at the skin over his stomach.

"One point for me," she said arrogantly as she stood up to face him.

He stuck a finger into one of the new holes in his shirt. "Now you're going to have to buy me a new uniform." He turned and headed back towards the stairs. He wanted to get the acid off of his skin.

"Retreat!" she called after him with a laugh. He rolled his eyes. He walked down through the hallway into the bathroom. He realized Ryomi was following him. "That's the one attack you always forget about," she said as he pulled off his shirt.

He grabbed a washcloth from the cupboard and began to wash the acid from his skin. "How could I forget?" he replied sarcastically. "Acid runs in your veins and through your heart." He looked down at the wound. The flesh was already beginning to heal leaving a pink spot.

She frowned back at him obviously annoyed. "Hey, you were the one who started it. You still in a bad mood about this morning?"

He raised an eyebrow and looked at her through the mirror. "_Me_ in a bad mood? That seems to be normal for _you_ lately."

She leaned against the bathroom door frame and crossed her arms. "Whatever. _You've_ just been on my case lately. What do you expect back?"

He turned around and leaned against the sink counter. "Alright, then I'll ease up. Feel free to do whatever you like Princess. I won't stop you, but if that's the case, I'm resigning as your guard."

"There's no need to be so overly dramatic," she said harshly. Her bright yellow eyes narrowed into slits.

"Why has this suddenly become an issue?" he asked frowning. "You used to talk to me about your bright ideas before doing something stupid." She opened her mouth, but he continued. "Don't deny it. A lot of times, you take too many risks! I'm supposed to protect you, remember? Of course, I'm going to get on your case about it!"

"We only have three weeks left Yemon! I don't care about the risks. I just don't care!" she yelled back.

He stared at her as she visibly shook with anger. He inwardly sighed understanding how she felt. "You're stronger than this," he said matter-of-factly. "_You_ are the leader of the Western Lands – it doesn't matter if you officially have the title or not. Don't fail your people now...don't fail me."

She looked away from him and bit her lip. "I know...I know." She took a deep breath. "We just need to stick to our plans, and it'll all work out."

He nodded knowing there was more on her mind than what she was saying. "You don't have to keep it all in," he said softly. They used to discuss everything: every idea, every problem that needed solved, every emotion. Ry slowly began to draw away from him, and it was putting a strain on their partnership. He understood why though – _we were getting too close._ If he knew one thing about the princess, it was that she put her people before herself. Getting too close to him became a threat to her plans, so she pushed him away. _We said we'd live with no attachments so changing the past would be easier. This time line has to be easy to give up. _He wouldn't lie to himself – he definitely harbored feelings for the princess, but he knew better than to let any of them show. _We've already had that discussion in the past... _Sometimes he failed miserable at it though. It was at those times she retaliated and pulled away from him further.

The half-demon looked back at him. She seemed to have regained her composure. "Come spar with me. Beating you up will make me feel better."

He rolled his eyes and moved towards her to exit the room. "Let me grab my sword and change my pants. I don't need the rest of my uniform ruined."

She didn't move out of his way as he tried to move through the door. "I expect you to fully pay for that ruined shirt," she said in a mock-serious tone.

He placed his hand on the frame above her head and moved through the doorway. He stopped, both of them standing in the door frame, their faces inches away. "Take it out of my pay," he answered sarcastically. He sniffed at her. "Wow, if you stand too close to me, you might be able to defeat me. I'll pass out from your smell. You stink!"

She punched him in the gut. "Funny!"

He pretended to be injured and grabbed his stomach. "You punched me so hard! Do I get a handicap?" he asked in a weak tone and limped out of the doorway towards his bedroom.

"You baby. Go change your diaper, and I'll meet you upstairs." He turned and watched as she walked away not missing how tight her shorts were. _I'll tell her about Bakusaiga tomorrow. It should be fine for the rest of the night._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

**Modern Era – June 4th, 2000**

_Erin looked down at the ground in front of him. She was wearing a red kimono with high slits on the sides and a pair of white pants. Her hair was pinned up messily, and she wore a breastplate. As he walked around her, he saw that the red kimono had white cherry blossoms on it. It looked like it once was a fancy outfit, but now it was dirty. Seth could hear her taking deep breaths as he continued to circle her. He wondered if they were in the middle of a battle. She held two swords in her hands. He recognized the one in her right as the sword he'd seen at the museum, Bakusaiga. He felt himself draw his own sword from his side. A duel? He couldn't explain the emotion he was feeling...it was more than just excitement. _

_Erin slowly looked up meeting his eyes. A smiled played upon her lips. "Prepare yourself demon." He raised an eyebrow. "I'm about to prove that I'm your equal." With a flash of steel, she swung her sword at his face. He ducked below the swing and moved to push her away with his left hand. The sword in her left hand came at his outstretched arm, so he grabbed the sword instead. He felt the blade cut the palm of his hand, but it wasn't a deep cut. He wondered why he did that. Why would he grab the blade? The first sword came back towards his head, and he blocked with his own weapon. He kicked with his right foot knocking her legs from out of under her. The woman fell backwards, and he moved to strike down at her. She dropped the sword in her left hand and fell back onto that hand. She kicked up at his outstretched arm and sword. She missed but the momentum was enough for her to flip out of the way of his attack. Seth's sword struck the ground and dust flew up. She picked up her discarded sword and moved back to her feet. Seth pointed his sword at the woman and a flash lightening flew from the blade. How? She didn't move. At the last minute before the attack hit her, the woman moved her right arm to cover her face, and the lightening hit her in the shoulder. She let out a cry. Seth could smell her flesh burning and her blood. Her kimono began to burn away around the wound until it smoldered out. He could clearly see the injury on her arm. Why didn't she move? She had plenty of time to move out of the way! Erin stood still, and Seth suddenly felt weak. He watched as the burn began to shrink and heal itself. After a moment, she moved her arm away from her face and gave him a wicked smile. He felt his eyes open wide in shock. What?_

Seth opened his eyes, momentarily panicked until he realized that he was in his bed, and the scene had been a dream. He took a deep breath pushing the weird dream from his mind. _Too much of the feudal festival.. _He rolled to his side and looked over at the woman laying there beside him. Erin was still asleep. Her dark hair surrounded her head like halo. The blanket was pulled up just enough to cover her breasts, and a long leg protruded out from under it. _She's beautiful. _He closed his eyes and sighed. A mixture of emotions swirled through his head. _I don't want today to be the last time I see her. _He didn't know what else to do. Between him going back to America and work, he knew he wouldn't keep up a long-distance relationship with her. _We could continue it for the next few weeks while I'm here._ He decided that probably wouldn't work either. He couldn't explain what he was feeling. He barely knew the girl, so why was he so taken with her? He tried to convince himself it was just because he wanted to physically get involved with her, but the more he thought about it, the more he knew that it wasn't true. He wanted to keep her, to protect her, to make her smile... _What the hell is wrong with me?_

He opened his eyes to see Erin looking back at him. Her eyes widened and a pink blush spread across her cheeks. "Good morning," she said sweetly.

"Good morning."

The blush turned a deeper color and a bashful smile crossed her face. "Um, just so you know...Best. Sex. Ever." Her face turned bright red, and she pulled the covers over her face. A fit of giggles erupted from beneath the blankets. Seth couldn't help but to smile in victory. _Best sex ever? _His mind reeled back to his previous thoughts. _So if she sticks around, will it because she just wants the sex or because she's interested in me?_ He furrowed his eyebrows in thought. It was an unusual predicament. What kind of man worried about that? _Just ask her... _He frowned at the thought. He'd be an idiot get into a serious conversation like that at the moment. He needed to just enjoy his victory.

The giggles had stopped, and Erin looked out from behind her cloth shield. _Just ask her. _Honesty between them had seemed to work the best so far. He took a deep breath. _I'm an idiot._ "So...best sex ever?" The woman pulled the sheet down below her chin and looked away with an embarrassed smile. "You're going to give me a complex," he continued. "Going forward, how do I know you're actually interested in me and not just sticking around for the sex?" he asked with a smile.

The smile completely vanished from Erin's face, and she blinked in surprise. She sat up holding the blanket up to cover her chest. Her dark hair flew up behind her and then settled on her bare back. "Going forward?" she echoed. "I thought this was just for the weekend."

He propped himself up on an elbow. "You have no interest in continuing this?" He started to regret asking her.

She looked down at him not giving away her thoughts. He dreaded the pending rejection, his victory completely stolen from him. "You're interested in me for more than just sex?" she finally asked, her tone thick with disbelief.

"Is that so crazy?"

"Why?"

"Why?" he sat up beside her. "I have to give you a reason?"

"Yes!"

His mind froze up on him. "I don't know. I just want you around."

She narrowed her eyes. "Just for sex?"

"No! I just...I don't..." He sighed and flopped back down on the bed. "We seemed to hit it off. I don't do that very often with people," he admitted.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her turn towards and lean down over him. He forced himself to look at her face. "I was lonely but now have a new friend. You needed some excitement and found it in me – I just wanted to know which part of being with me excited you." _She was testing me?_

He gave her a smirk. "All of it."

She smacked his chest and rolled her eyes.. "Glad we've come to an understanding." She sat back up and ran her hands through her hair.

"I'm serious Erin. I don't want-"

"I know," she interrupted. He blinked in surprise at her somber tone. "Just promise me something, okay?" she looked down towards her feet.

He nodded and sat up. "What is it?"

"When you leave in three weeks, don't say goodbye." She looked back at him. Her face held a sorrowful frown. "Don't give me three great weeks and then leave and never talk to me again. I can't deal with that. I'm not looking for a boyfriend or a long-distance relationship, just a hello every once in a while. I think if one more person uses me and then leaves like it was nothing, I'm just going to stop trusting everyone."

Seth looked her over taking in what she had just said. _We're just a pair full of bad relationships, aren't we? What makes us think this one will work? _"Trust me," he finally said. "I can't promise that I'll always be there for you or that I'll never upset you. I don't think anyone can promise those things without knowing they'll break it at some point."

She gave him a soft smile. "Alright, what _can _you promise then?"

He considered it for a moment. "I won't intentionally hurt you, ever. And I won't say goodbye."

She smiled. "Thanks. Friends forever!" she added obviously being cheesy on purpose.

Seth returned the smile. "Alright, I've shared my feelings with you enough. I'm going to lose my title as a man."

"Nah. After last night, I think you've firmly secured that title," Erin replied with a wink.

He couldn't help but to grin like an idiot. The thought of tackling her and pursuing a second round ran through his head, but he decided against it. It wouldn't be the best idea after the conversation they just had. "I'm starving. Want some breakfast?"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Ryomi sat at her desk and looked through the previous day's reports. Normally, she wouldn't get reports on a Sunday, but with the festival going on, her office staff worked on and off throughout the weekend. As requested, they had Saturday's numbers on her desk the next morning. She wasn't interested in the profit; she wanted to see how many guests they had there the previous day. _People have seen us demons here at the museum. When they see us fighting against that demonic cloud, I want them to recognize us as what we truly are. As the festival grows each year, more and more humans are educated on the theory that demons __**did**__ exist – whether they believe it or not doesn't matter. They'll believe soon enough. _

As she looked through the paperwork, she hummed a tune her mother used to sing. _In the mountains in the breeze. In the forest in my dreams. Lord Sesshomaru where are you? Jaken is serving under you too. I will wait for you on my own. Please return to me waiting all alone. _She sighed and took off her glasses. Thoughts of the upcoming storm had her panicked and it was getting to her. _You entrusted me with this Mom, but what if I have it all wrong? What if I make everything worse? _Yemon had been a steady encouragement to her over the years. His bad attitude balanced her own out, and in the long run, they ended up spending more time laughing and joking around than fighting. The time they spent sparring last night had helped to lighten Ryomi's mood. _No matter how this goes, he'll be there with me. _She took comfort in having the warrior ..._and good friend..._ at her side. For the first time in weeks, she was in a relatively good mood. Yemon had told her multiple times during the duel to enjoy the rest of the festival. They still had three weeks to engage in all of their plans. _Enjoy today and don't worry about tomorrow until tomorrow. _She caught Yemon's scent before he even began to knock at the door. She looked up. "Come in."

Her demon guard open the door but didn't come into the room. "Hey, take a walk with me." She raised an eyebrow at his request. His face was missing its usual frown, but his tone of voice said it was urgent. She replaced her glasses and followed after him. _Why is that the full-demon can pass for a human easier than I can? _"So, what's going on?"

He shook his head and started towards the museum's front doors. "I thought you'd like to see the crowd coming in." He gave her a smirk. "It looks like some old friends have come to watch you."

The half-demon rolled her eyes. She had many male demons pursue her over the years, some because she was Sesshomaru's daughter, some because they just wanted her as a prize. "Who?"

"I saw Takuya here earlier-"

"Eh! That sleazy pig demon?"

Yemon chuckled. "He was chasing around female tourists earlier."

Ryomi looked around at the people in the courtyard as they walked out the front doors. _Wow, what a turnout. _"Those girls probably just thought he was an idiot in a costume. They don't realize that he'll kidnap them if they pay a lick of attention to him."

"I told him to knock it off," the guard replied. "He told me not to worry; he was only interested in you."

She shot a wicked glare at him. "I don't suppose you told him to leave me alone too, did you?"

He shook his head with a smile. "Nope. Who am I to decide who the Lady is and isn't interested in?"

"Jerk."

Yemon chuckled, and they continued to walk through the crowd. A few of the vendors bowed to her as she passed by. Many of them were demons trying to sell their goods and charms to each other. Ryomi nodded to them as walked. "There's Rikugoro." He motioned towards a fox demon who was trying to pass of as a human midget. "What's he selling?" They walked closer to the group of onlookers surrounding the little demon's booth; most of them were children.

"Look here!" the fox demon called out. Ryomi looked over the shoulder of a teenage boy to see a small rocking horse running around the vendor's table. The children standing around squealed in delight. Ryomi herself couldn't help but smile. Rikugoro looked up at the kids and then noticeably paled when he saw Yemon. "Ah! Yemon!" Some of the children turned to look at who he was addressing. "Oh! My Lady! I didn't see you!"

"I don't think some of these things were approved items to be sold, Rikugoro," Yemon said sternly and crossed his arms over his chest.

The fox demon's eyes grew wide. "I uh...It's just for entertaining the kids. That's all!"

Ryomi smiled at the obvious lie. "Just for entertaining?" she asked amused. Rikugoro nodded rapidly. She stepped closer to his table to examine the other items there. _I played with these types of toys as a kid...but the humans...humans freak out at anything they can't explain. _"Well then, I think it's okay Yemon," she said calmly. "But that," she pointed at the rocking horse, "and those are not to be sold, got it?" She moved her finger to point at a bag of firebombs sitting on the ground behind him.

"Oh course My Lady!"

The teenage boy in front of her gave her a funny look. _Does he realize I'm different? _He looked back at Rikugoro. "Why? What do those do?"

"Nothing," Yemon said sternly. Ryomi gave him a mischievous smile, and the guard frowned at her. She considered asking for one, but she reconsidered. If she showed the teenagers what the firebombs did, they'd offer Rikugoro anything he wanted for them.

She leaned over to the boy and whispered in his ear. "If you touch it, it will kill you...unless you're a demon of course."

He frowned at her. "A demon?" he asked doubtfully. He looked at her like she was an idiot.

"What? You don't think that they're out there?" she pulled down her glasses just enough so he could see her bright yellow eyes and gave him a grin showing off her fangs. The boy's eyes grew wide. "I'm the queen of the demons," she whispered. "And I think you'd make a great lunch."

The boy jumped back. "Get away freak!" He walked away at a quick pace.

"What did just you do?" Yemon asked in a condescending tone.

She smiled. "Just scared him. Let's go." She waved at Rikugoro as they walked away. He gave her a bow in return.

They continued walking around the courtyard, stopping every once in a while to visit with old friends and meet some the new demons walking around. _All of these visitors know who I am. They recognize me as a princess. _She had to admit that it felt good to be recognized for who she was. They walked back through the museum and down the back hallway. She frowned as she began to sense a demonic aura. It wasn't coming from any of the guests. _It's Bakusaiga. _She stopped and looked towards the basement door as they got closer. "Damn it," Yemon said from beside her. "You sense it too, don't you?"

She looked at him in surprise. "This is why you wanted to go for the walk? Why didn't you just say something earlier?"

The dog demon shrugged. "I wanted to see how obvious it was. If you can sense it, I'm sure other demons nearby can." She nodded. When it came to demonic auras, her senses weren't well attuned to them. Yemon, on the other hand, could sense them very well. _As can most other full-demons. _

"Yemon, you out there?" a static filled voice came from over the walkie-talkie on the guard's hip. Ryomi frowned at the voice of the front desk clerk, Suzume.

Yemon took the radio from his hip. "I'm here," he replied.

"Is Ryomi with you? I tried calling her office, and she wasn't there."

He raised an eyebrow in her direction. She reluctantly nodded at him. "Yeah, she's here," he answered.

"Can you tell her that there's a guy by the name of Yuuhiro Fujita here looking for her? He says it's urgent." Ryomi's eyes grew wide at the name. _The priest?_

Yemon must have been thinking the same thing. "She'll be up in a minute." He replaced the radio at his side.

"There's no way that _he_ can sense it," she said in disbelief.

"Let's hope not. If he can, that's bad. That guy can't even tell that _I'm _a demon." She followed Yemon to the information desk. Sure enough, the priest was standing there.

"Madame Curator," he bowed. "I'm glad to see you." The man was dressed in a traditional priest's outfit as he usually did. Ryomi had used his services in the past to seal some particularly strong demon artifacts she'd acquired. While he was usually successful, the man wasn't nearly as strong as the priests and demon slayers that she remembered from her childhood.

She returned the bow. "Likewise. What's urgent that you need to see me about?"

"As usual, there's always a strong demonic presence here during the festival. I fear you have demons in the crowd," he said warningly.

She nodded. They had this discussion every year. "If we do Sir, my guards will be there to stop them if they cause any trouble."

He nodded. "Yes, you've never had any troubles in the past."

She smiled. "As we've discussed before, I _do_ believe there are friendly demons among us."

He nodded. "At least they are friendly while they are here visiting the festival." He pushed his hands together in a prayer motion. "I am here for a different reason though. There's a single, powerful aura coming from your museum. I noticed while walking among the exhibits in here."

She paused thinking about how to play her cards. Thankfully, Yemon didn't step in and say something before she did. "I may know what you're talking about!" she said in an earnest tone. "I recently acquired a demon sword. It was rumored to be very powerful at one time. Would you like to examine it?"

Yuuhiro's eyes widened in excitement, and then he tipped his head forward. "Of course. It's my duty." She motioned for him to follow and smiled as she passed Yemon. The demon rolled his eyes. The trio went into the storage cellar, and Ryomi took Bakusaiga from the shelf it was resting on. "I see," the priest said as he peered into the box. "It looks like the sword's case had been sealed at one time."

"My fault," Ryomi replied. "I had to break the seal to make sure the sword was actually in its box," she lied.

He nodded. "I can replace the seal." She took a step back as the old man began to work on placing a new seal. She glanced over at Yemon to see he was also watching. After a few minutes, the priest stepped back and nodded. "There."

Ryomi tried to concentrate on the sword's aura. She could still sense it, but didn't think it was as loud now as it was before. "Thank you," she told Yuuhiro sincerely. They exited the basement and Ryomi told Suzume to make sure the man was compensated.

She then turned and walked back towards her office with Yemon. "Well? Did it work?"

He nodded. "I think so. It's still there, but it's muffled."

"Let's hope it does the trick." The woman glanced down at her watch. "Time to go get ready."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Wow! This place is packed," Erin said as they walked through the museum's courtyard. She and Seth had decided during breakfast that they'd go back to the festival to check out the battle reenactment. She was excited to watch the show but thought that Seth was maybe even more excited than she was. She smiled at the man as he led her through the crowd grasping her hand. Their talk that morning had been a bit awkward, but she was sort of glad that it had happened. They were on the same page with what they wanted: neither wanted a serious relationship, but both wanted to keep the other in their life. She smiled. _The start of a beautiful friendship._

"Let's go over there," Seth said pointing to one edge of the courtyard.

She followed him, and they stood there waiting as the museum's staff began to usher people out and section off the middle of the large open area there. "It's about to start!" The noise among the crowd began to quiet down as the actors walked out into the clearing. She watched as they began to set up their show.

Close to where they were sitting, a stage was set-up and a large throne was sat upon it. A just as large man went to it and sat down; he was in dressed in an ornate outfit reminiscent of what a feudal lord would wear. The man had long white hair and had blue markings painted on each side of his face. _He's supposed to be the demon lord. _A number of other performers dressed as demons stood around him. Erin turned to look at the far side of the courtyard. There a group of men fully clad in armor marched into the square. At the front of the army was a armored man on a horse. The man rode around the courtyard with his sword held high. The crowd began to cheer him. "We've come to drive evil from these lands. I've been sent by my lord, Nobunaga, to destroy the demons and unite these lands under him." The crowd continued to cheer.

Suddenly, a woman ran out in front of his horse. _What is she doing?_ Erin realized she was wearing a costume also. "Please! General sir! Take your army away from these lands!" She bowed low to the ground in front of him.

"Woman, are you bewitched by demons? Why do you protect them? Perhaps you are a demon in disguise!" the general yelled loudly.

"No sir! Please! These lands are protected by our demon lord. If you march against him, the peace will be broken and our villages will fall into war." The woman knelt begging the man.

"I have come in the name of my lord, Nobunaga. _He_ will be your protector. You need not fear this demons any longer!"

The woman stood up. "_We_ do not fear them!" she yelled back. "It is _you_ who should be fearing the demons. I came to warn you – to protect both my family and your army."

Right on cue, a group of demon warriors walked into the courtyard. They were clad in armor similar to the humans, but it was much more decorative. Each demon wore a mask shaped like the face of a dog, white with a deep blue-violet crescent moon painted on the forehead. Another cheer went up around the crowd. "Their armor is very cool," Seth said from beside her. She looked over at him and couldn't help but smile. He was completely engrossed in the show.

The pleading woman turned and ran from the scene. The general raised his sword. "Attack!" He rushed at the demon warriors. Two jumped up at him and pulled him off of his horse. A gasp went up from the crowd. The other five demon warriors rushed at the humans and began to cut them down.

"It's a massacre," Erin breathed.

She felt Seth take her hand. "They're just acting."

"I know, but they make it look so real!" 

The battle continued on for a few moments, and then a loud voice boomed across the battle. "Stop!" Immediately, the demons retreated. Erin looked to her left to where the voice had come from. The demon lord was standing at the edge of the stage with his hands up. "Enough of this needless bloodshed. Leave my lands and you'll be allowed to go. You must see that you can not defeat us."

The general stood up and limped towards the stage. "We will defeat you demons or die trying. I will fulfill the orders of my lord!"

"Then your lord is a fool if he thinks it is alright to throw away your lives," the demon replied. "I will make a deal with you to save the lives of your men. Send out your strongest warrior to fight the weakest of mine, my own daughter. If he can not defeat her, let that be evidence to you that your army can not defeat mine and retreat."

The human general stood there for a moment as if he was considering the demon's request. "I agree," he finally said. He limped back towards his men.

"Why did he agree?" Erin whispered to Seth. "I thought it was 'defeat the demons or die trying'?"

He leaned over and replied, "My guess is that it's some kind of trap." He gave her a small smile. "Just watch."

She raised an eyebrow. "A trap? How could the humans trap the demons?" she asked doubtfully.

"Just watch."

She turned back to see one of the human warriors walk out from the rest of the army. He was fully clad in samurai armor. Erin couldn't even see his face. The man held a long staff with a blade on the end. _I think that's called a naginata..._ He moved through a set of motions showing of his skills with the blade. _Wow. _"I am ready to meet your _weakest_," the man called. The audience cheered their support.

The demon warriors parted to make way for their champion. A demoness walked out from in between them. She was dressed in a deep blue kimono that stopped mid thigh in the front. It was slit down the sides, and the back panel went clear down to her ankles. She wore a tight pair of white leggings that stopped just above her knees. Her torso was covered by a black breastplate that wrapped around her body, and the same white, dog mask that the other demon warriors wore covered her face. She had long white hair that flowed down her back, and a pair of white dog ears were on top of her head. "She's gorgeous," Seth said from beside her.

Slightly annoyed at the comment, Erin frowned. "Wait until she takes off her mask. I bet she's hideous," she retorted. Seth looked over at her and smirked, but didn't reply.

Unlike the human man, the demoness did not break into a display of her skills, but instead bowed to the human warrior and then held up her sword. They stood there for a moment unmoving, and then the man rushed at her. With grace that Erin had never seen before, the demoness jumped up just before he reached her. She landed on the edge of his weapon and then flipped herself over top of him. _No way!_ She landed behind the man and pushed on his back. With more force than what it appeared that she used, he flew down onto the ground face first. The man rolled back to his feet and swung his weapon at her. She easily dodged. "His weapon is much longer than hers," Seth said. "In order for her to hit him, she'll have to get around it."

The demoness moved towards the man, and he blocked with the long staff. She moved the other way, and he did the same thing. They went back and forth a few times, and then the demoness jumped towards him sideways. She reached towards him with her left hand and caught his weapon before it could strike her. She spun towards him with her sword in her right and smacked him in the head with the hilt. The impact sent his helmet flying backwards revealing his dark hair and caused him to step back. He used his weapon against her and twisted it forcing her to let go and move back from him. Again, they stood there waiting. After a moment, the human rushed at her. She moved out of the way at the last minute and spun on her right foot to move behind him. Her moves reminded Erin of a ballerina. The demoness swung at the man's back and cracked her sword against his armor. He fell forward. A mixture of cheers and boos rang out from the crowd. "Did she defeat him?" she asked in anticipation.

The human stood up and turned to the demoness. She stood there waiting for him much to Erin's surprise. _She's not going to attack him while he's down and unarmed._ The man stood up. His armor was broken in the back and hung off of him awkwardly. After a moment of him adjusting himself and retaking his weapon, he returned to a defensive pose waiting for the demoness. Again, they stood there staring at each other for what felt like forever. The demon suddenly rushed at him. The pair launched into a series of attacks and parries. The human seemed to have the advantage; his long weapon kept the demon out of his reach. Each time she would get close enough to hit him, he would find away to dodge or defend himself against the attack. They continued on, and Erin watched in awe. She had never seen two people move so fast. As the human man dodged one of the demoness' attacks, he ducked low and then popped up swinging at her with the blunt end of his staff. It struck her in the face knocking off her mask. A cheer went through the crowd. She stumbled back and then stood back up tall looking at the human with a wicked glare. _She __**is**__beautiful. _The woman's hair blew around her like a hurricane as the breeze passed through the courtyard. "Go Ryomi!" a voice called out from the crowd.

Erin blinked at the voice. _Ryomi?_ She narrowed her eyes at the demoness. "Is that the curator?" she asked Seth in disbelief.

She saw him nod out of the corner of her eye. "It looks like it. I bet the human warrior is the guard we met, Yemon." She nodded. His mask still covered his face, but his exposed hair was a match to the guard's. _They're amazing._

Ryomi charged at Yemon at an incredible speed. He tried to block, and she launched in a series of swings. She finally was able to duck one of his attacks and came below his weapon. She swung upwards cutting the wooden weapon in half. The demoness continued forward and pushed at the man. As he flew backwards, she pulled back on his armor. It was broken at his back, so the armor came off at the front as she pulled. Seth scoffed. "Real armor wouldn't come off like that. You can tell it's a costume." Erin nodded. _It __**is**__ a show. _She was amused at how much Seth was into the performance.

The human fell backwards, but quickly got to his feet. He pulled off his mask and tossed to the ground. Erin could clearly see that it was in fact the guard they had met the day before. His tunic was torn revealing a portion of his well sculpted chest. _He's not bad looking either!_ She expected him to call out a surrender, but the man took a sword from another of the human warriors. "Come demon," he said. "Let's finish this."

"This isn't a battle that I asked for," Ryomi replied. "I will gladly step down and allow you to live if you surrender."

Yemon smirked. "I won't be defeated by the likes of you."

"Then I have no choice but to destroy you." Erin caught the curator give the other a smirk. It vanished after a split second. She wondered if they were good friends outside of work. They would have had to practice together for hours to perform the stunts they were pulling off. The pair charged at each other once again and began to duel each other. _Amazing._ They were fast. They attacked back and forth dodging and moving around each other. It was apparent that Yemon was more skilled with his sword, but Ryomi moved like an acrobat. She dipped, dodged, and flipped around the other with incredible flexibility.

_I'm here._

Erin froze. It had been more like a feeling than an audible voice, but the message was clear: someone or something was calling out to her. She turned to Seth. He was still watching the battle; he must not have heard it. The woman looked around the courtyard. It didn't appear that anyone else had heard it either.

_I'm here._

She turned and looked towards the museum. It had come from that direction. _It couldn't be that sword could it?_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Ryomi dodged another attack from Yemon and threw him a smile. He narrowed his eyes at her. She knew that she was supposed to look and angry for the performance, but she couldn't help it. This was heaven to her. Here, during this battle once a year, she was herself. She didn't have to hide her features under a hat or behind glasses. She was free to jump as high as she wanted and fly with her demon friend. She knew Yemon was holding back, but she didn't care. She didn't have to. If anyone questioned it, they could explain it off by claiming it was all tricks and special effects. _I hate hiding all the time!_ As choreographed, she sliced at Yemon and "cut" him across his gut. He jumped back and grabbed at his stomach. It was all for show, but she was still enjoying the fact that she would win this battle. _It teaches him a little bit of humility...for like five minutes. _She smiled at her friend as he ran back towards her. She jumped around him sending another attack at his back. He spun around it and blocked. Their faces were mere inches from each other. "Too much Ry," he whispered at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. It's time for me to defeat you anyways." He frowned back in annoyance. Ryomi put her left hand on his chest and pushed. A combination of her own strength and Yemon jumping backwards sent him flying across the courtyard. It looked very impressive. The crowd let out a gasp. Some cheered, others booed. The crowd was a mixture of humans and demons, and Ryomi wondered if any of them were cheering for the opposite side. She was sure some of the human males were cheering for her. _They can't help it – they see a woman with a sword, and they're transfixed._

She slowly walked to the "human" warrior. Yemon was pretending to struggle as he pushed himself up. With a leap, she landed beside him and put her foot on his chest. "It's over," she said to him with a smirk. She had just began to lift her sword when she froze. A loud pulse echoed through the air. She turned to look at the museum. _It's Bakusaiga! _Terrified, she looked around her. She hadn't been the only one had seen it. Many others that she recognized as demons looked towards the museum. _Shit! There's going to be a real battle here over that sword. _As she looked around, she also noticed a human girl looking towards the museum. _It's the girl from yesterday, the one who looks like my mother. Did she hear it too? _

"Ryomi!" Yemon hissed up at her from the ground. "Do something to distract them. Hurry!"

She panicked. _Like what?_ She didn't have anything scripted, but she figured she could come up with something. "You have been defeated," she yelled. "Flee these lands, and I will spare your life." None of the other actors responded. _No one was expecting me to speak._ She decided to continue. Too many eyes were still turned towards the museum. "We are the guardians of these lands and protect those who are our allies: humans and demons alike. You came here to bring peace to these lands? Then leave. Now you are just merely murders coming to take what belongs to us!" She began to yell as she got into her speech. It touched a little close to home for her; it was the story of her own father. Perhaps some of the other demons there were thinking that also. Many had turned to her. A few began to clap and cheer. "They say demons are the evil ones, but look at yourselves! Nothing more than murders and thieves!" She raised her sword to cue the next part. _It's much too close to my own life..._ An arrow flew at her. It was decorated with purple streamers to make it look like a sacred arrow. Ryomi played her part and caught the arrow as he came at her. She pretended to be hit and fell to the ground. A gasp went up through the crowd.

"No!" The demon lord cried out. Ryomi stiffened as the actors playing demon warriors came to pick her up. They carried her over to her acting father. "You have dishonored our agreement. Now your army will die!"

The human general scoffed. "Die? Did you not witness the death of your daughter? You can not stand up against my priests." Ryomi watched the performance continue as she laid there "dead" on the stage. A dozen humans dressed as priests emerged from within the demon army and lined up. They all had bows and arrows and readied their weapons. "Attack!" The priests sent a volley of arrows in the demons' direction. The actors around her shielded themselves and started to fall one by one. The arrows were merely props, but they still stung when you were hit with them. As all the demons fell, the crowd shouted out. Ryomi was surprised, usually there was more cheering at the demons' demise. _Maybe it's because of what I said. _"We have defeated the demons!" the general called out. "I declare these lands to now be under the protection Lord Nobunaga. May peace reside here for years to come."

As the crowd continued to cheer, the "dead" warriors began to stand up and line up in the courtyard to bow before their audience. Ryomi did likewise and moved towards Yemon. He must have been doing the same; she saw him moving towards her. "It's quiet," he whispered to her.

"You can't sense it anymore?" he shook his head.

"We'll go inside in the moment to see if it's putting off a demonic aura at all." Ryomi nodded and took his hand as they bowed. _This could be bad. It could be really bad. _People came up to congratulate them and praise them on the show. Ryomi enjoyed all the praise, but it wasn't enough to push away the terrifying feeling of dread in her chest.

"That was spectacular!" a voice said to Ryomi's right. She turned recognizing Erin Hana's voice. The girl stood there with Seth West. "You were amazing Curator Nishi! I've never seen anyone fight like that."

She nodded her thanks. "Thank you for coming." Unable to hold back her curiosity, she blurted out her question. "You heard it, didn't you?" The woman's eyes opened wide telling Ryomi that she had.

"Hear what?" Seth asked.

"So, you two have been hanging out all weekend," Ryomi continued without answering his question. "Are you guys now a couple?"

"That's rude," Yemon said from beside her.

Seth narrowed his eyes at her. "It's none of your business." The look on his face gave Ryomi the answer to that question too.

"What about you two?" Erin asked with a smile. "You must practice a lot together to be able to fight like that. Are you a couple?" Ryomi felt her own eyes go wide at the question.

Yemon chuckled. "Ha! You get what you deserve." He turned to the woman with a smirk. "No, while the two of us have been fighting together for a long time, we're not a couple. She's too much trouble anyways. It's nice to have seen you again. Enjoy the rest of the weekend." He waved them goodbye and then forcefully grabbed Ryomi's hand. "Let's go." They were stopped once more by the acting company's director who oozed praise at them. They chatted for a few minutes before finally escaping the conversation.

They walked into the museum towards the back hall. "I don't sense anything," Ryomi said.

Yemon shook his head. "I don't either. It's quiet."

"What do you think it was doing?" she asked.

"Calling out to its master," he replied. "You said that girl heard it?"

Ryomi nodded. "She did. I saw her when Bakusaiga pulsed, and the look she had on her face when I asked her confirmed it. She heard it."

Yemon nodded. He began to walk towards the stairway towards their upstairs home. "Alright, I'm not saying you were right about the girl being the reincarnation of your mom, but I'm not completely dismissing it either." Ryomi nodded as his words sunk in. _Could that really be my mother? _"I'm not sure about the guy. It doesn't sound like he heard the sword."

"My father never did hear Bakusaiga," she responded.

"Huh?"

"I was obsessed with swords as a kid; I asked my mom a million questions about Bakusaiga. She had told me that she could hear it calling to her, but Father never had."

Yemon nodded as they entered their apartment. "The sword was connected to her." He glanced around. "Good, the cat's gone."

"I still think there's a possibility that Seth is also Father's reincarnation," Ryomi continued. She followed the dog demon as he headed towards his bedroom. "When I had talked to them on Friday, they said they had just met, and yet we see them today still together."

Yemon took off his shirt and threw it on the bed. "So?"

Ryomi opened her mouth to speak but paused. He turned to look at her with a questioning look. She braced herself for his reaction and looked down at her hands. "Do you believe in soul mates?"

He didn't respond, yet she didn't look up. "Soul mates?" he finally echoed. "And what happens if you don't end up with your soul mate? Are you miserable for the rest of your life?"

She shrugged. She knew he wasn't talking about Seth and Erin at this point. "It just seems very coincidental that they are both from the same area in America, and yet they are both here at the same time. What if their souls have been searching for each other?" She looked up to see Yemon leaning against his dresser with his arms crossed over his chest. He was looking away from her.

"Maybe, but I'm still not sold on it." He looked back over at her. "If they _are _ your parents' reincarnations, what do you plan to do about it?"

"I don't know yet. I'm still thinking about it."

"Just let me know about it before you do anything," he said shortly. He walked to his closet and took out a uniform shirt and a pair of pants.

"Yeah," she said quietly. The half-demon left and walked to her own room. She sat down on her bed and buried her face in her hands. Years of guilt and regret weighed heavy on her. _Things will be better when we change the past, right? _It was something she had been struggling with for centuries, and as each moment went by, it became a question that was harder and harder to answer. _Soul mates...could there be such a thing._ Yemon's word's echoed in her head. _If you didn't end up with your soul mate, would you be miserable for the rest of your life? _She cursed herself for even bringing it up. Her and Yemon didn't talk about relationships; they just _didn't_. Yet here she was again thinking about him.

She heard the demon come into the room and felt him sit down beside her. His left arm circled around her back, and he leaned into her. "By the way," he said softly. "You looked amazing out there today." Her heart ached at his compliment.

Ryomi dropped her hands and leaned her head against his shoulder. "You weren't too bad yourself." Neither of them spoke, and the pair just sat there for a moment. "What if I'm making the wrong decisions?" she asked softly.

"We just take it one step at a time and see where it gets us. All we can do is stick to the decisions we've already made. We've thought about it and rethought about it for centuries Ry. We've made the best plans that we could." She nodded. "Come on." He patted her side. "We should get back down there. I'm sure we're going to have demons asking what that was earlier."

She nodded. "I'll be down in a minute." The guard moved away from her and headed out. She frowned and looked in her dresser mirror when he left. _The best decisions._ She saw her hat and glasses sitting there on her dresser. _I'm sick of wearing that stupid hat and those stupid glasses. I'm sick of __trying to fit with the humans. I'm sick of this life!_ She stood up and began to undress. _We __**are**__ going to change the past. It __**is**__going to be for the best. _She paused, her hands shaking at her next thought. _Yemon will be there. He'll still be my guard. Maybe we are soul mates and fate will bring us together...but if not. _She knew it was unlikely. She was the heir to the Western Lands. Her father wouldn't chose a guard to be his successor. Not Yemon. _If you didn't end up with your soul mate, would you be miserable for the rest of your life? _

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"This has been so much fun!" Erin said from beside him. Seth could help but smile at her enthusiasm. They walked through the festival vendors looking at all the goods they had for sale. The pair had even stopped to play a few games. Unfortunately, neither of them had won anything, but Seth had to admit that he was having a fantastic time with the woman. He dreaded having to take her home that evening.

"I'm glad that we met on Friday," he replied.

She smiled. "Me too. This whole weekend has been great."

Seth paused as his cell phone rang. He glanced down at the number and inwardly sighed. _Grandfather. _He flipped the phone open and answered. "Hello."

His grandfather's voice came back over the speaker. "Seth. See, I told you he was fine," he said. Seth could imagine him talking to his grandma in the background. "Your grandmother has been going on and on about how you haven't come to see her. Are you busy? Why don't you come over for dinner? I can't take much more of her groaning."

He smiled and the old man's sincere tone. Seth had wanted to go to dinner with Erin, but he knew if he didn't go visit his Grandma Kimura, he'd suffer for it. He sighed at the choices. "I'll be over in a bit."

"Good boy. We'll see you when we get here." Seth said goodbye and then returned his phone to his pocket.

"I guess this means our weekend is over?" Erin asked in disappointment.

He grimaced. He thought about inviting her along but decided against it. He didn't want to have her grilled by his grandmother. "I'm sorry. I had planned to go to dinner with you, but my-"

"It's okay," she gave him an understanding smile. "Go see your grandparents. I've already taken up your whole weekend."

"And I wish the weekend was longer."

Her smile grew larger. "Me too."

They headed to Seth's car and then to Erin's home. The car ride was silent for most of the trip. Seth kept glancing over at her. The woman stared out the window. As they pulled up, Seth asked, "Are you alright?"

She looked back at him as they stopped. "Yeah. I'm fine." She got out of the car and headed towards the door. Seth followed suit and headed after her.

She turned around before going inside and waited for him. "This isn't goodbye," he said as he stood in front of her, "just good night."

Erin smiled. "Alright. Good night."

"Um," he stammered wondering what to say. "I don't know what work is going to look like, but I'd like to go to dinner again some night."

"I'd like that. Give me a call."

He nodded feeling dumb. _What do I say?_ He decided to just go for it and leaned towards her. He placed his right hand on her cheek and kissed her. After a moment, he let go and stepped back. "Good night."

She smiled. "Good night Seth West. I'll be waiting for your call." She turned around and headed into the house. He couldn't help but smile as he headed back to his car. _No, this definitely isn't goodbye._

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

**Okay...so I'm sorry for the long update. Let me offer some excuses:**

**1. My power supply died, and I couldn't write for a while.**

**2. I don't know how many times I reworked this chapter – it just wasn't going right for me...**

**(okay...lame excuses)**

**So, I hope you all enjoyed how it finally ended up!**

**Before I get flamed:**

**1. Seth and Erin are not Sesshomaru and Rin. Perhaps they are reincarnations (continue reading to find out), but they are not the same people. Just like Kagome was not Kikyo. So, please don't get mad at me for not writing them in character, because they are not supposed to be.**

**2. Yemon and Ryomi...not going to explain anything there. Just wait to see!**

**It's going to get more interesting...keep reading and thanks for the reviews! :)**

**-Rachel**


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